Sea of Faces
by Ven'aranar Angel
Summary: CT-3758 likely has the most twisted past of all the clones. But this trooper can't be kept down, no matter what happens.
1. Revelations

_A.N. — The timeline of this story is admittedly shabla (screwed up), and I know I have many imperfect scenes, but I hope it's good enough._

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING CREATED BY GEORGE LUCAS. I ONLY OWN MY PLOT, OCs, AND MADE UP THINGS AND PLACES.**

* * *

Well, today has been absolutely wonderful.

By dawn, I was up and fleeing a battalion of super battle droids. After I got away from them, I have had the pleasure of spending my day going from fighting with and hiding from droids, and now running away from Ventress. When I decided to destroy a pack of B1s, I hadn't noticed that she was waiting in the shadows.

_Of all the times I manage to _not_ see her, _My mind grumbles.

Ryloth is a wasteland, with stone canyons, cliffs, and stretches of nothing but sun-baked earth as far as the eye can see. Okay, maybe a few forests now and then.

I'm currently racing through a gorge, my arm-blades sheathed for now. My weapons resemble extended gauntlets that go from my upper arm to wrist, with a joint at my elbow.

I can activate blades that slide out of the gauntlets at any time, the hidden metal pointing from the outsides of my arms, maximum length reaching nearly four inches near the centres of my arms. They are unique, able to deflect a laser bolt and slice a droid open easily.

Now the blades are in the gauntlets, making it easier to run. I hear blasting ahead and can pick out clones yelling. Another voice, sturdy with an accent is also there. I round a corner to find myself in the ruins of the city square. And thankfully, I can see a Jedi amongst the clones. I look back over my shoulder to see Ventress is still chasing me, both lightsabers drawn.

"Hey, Jedi, help!" I shout. The Knight has red hair, sideburns, a moustache, and a beard. He whirls around and sees the assassin.

"Hold on." He calls. I turn and unsheathe my blades, assuming a fighting stance. A red lightsaber swings at my head and I deflect it, jumping back to avoid the other one. Then the Jedi is there, drawing Ventress's attention away from me. I take cover beside a clone with yellow paint on his armour and a visored helmet.

"What are you doing here, kid?" He yells before taking a few shots at the droids.

"Got a spare gun?" I say, ignoring the question.

"You're too young to be using firearms."

"Alright, then." I roll to the next barrier, then the next, until I'm right against a building. I sheathe my left arm-blade and start climbing, angling my remaining weapon to send any laser bolts back to the enemy ranks. Once I reach the roof, I jump to the next building and keep going.

I climb onto the surrounding ridge the buildings seem to melt into and circle behind the droids. All of them are regular B1s, so I shouldn't have much trouble. I climb to the ground carefully and unsheathe my left arm-blade again. I sneak up behind a droid and tap it on the shoulder. It turns around and looks at me.

"Hey, you aren't supposed to be here." I behead it and take the gun it had been holding. I barricade myself and begin shooting the droids from behind. This gets them shouting and scrambling every which away, distracted by their newest problem.

I grab another fallen gun, removing the power pack from mine and throwing it in the middle of the panicking droids. Taking my new weapon, I blast the small box. The explosion causes the desired amount of chaos in the machines' ranks.

I step out and start slashing every standing piece of scrap I meet. One shoots and I dodge, then dive forward and cut its legs off at the ankle. I dig my left blade in, destroying the circuitry. Finally, I slice the last droid clean in half and see that the Jedi has chased off my former pursuer.

_What a relief, _the small voice representing my survival instincts sighs._  
_

I start running from the clones, when a shot rings out. For a moment, I stand still, then fall forward clutching my side.

"Ah!" Is all that I can get out.

_The bolt didn't hit anything serious, since I'm still alive, but does it ever hurt! _The voice of survival reasons.

I manage to sheathe my weapons, and stay lying down. A hand on my shoulder makes me flinch.

"It's alright. We're going to help you." I recognize the Jedi's voice. Tears begin slipping down my dust-covered cheeks as I fight for control over my shivering body.

"What happened?" A new voice comes from behind me.

"Anakin, get a medic. She's still alive." I hear frenzied footsteps, then another person touches me.

"We need to get her to a medical bay." A clone says.

_No, no, not moving. I just can't move, _the softer part of me groans.

A full year in total of causing the Separatists heck and not once getting shot. 'In total' doesn't count the two years when they held me prisoner, though.

"We're going to move you now, so be ready." The Jedi forewarns. I nod and stay still as someone picks me up. A mangled yell escapes my lips. He puts his arms under my knees and shoulders, holding me bridal style. In any other scenario, I would be embarrassed, but right now I'm not even sure which way we are currently walking.

After what seems like forever, we finally stop. I open my clenched eyes to see that we are standing in a LAAT/i gunship. The doors shut and we lift off. I'm grateful that there are no more bumps, and the ride is smooth. My side starts pounding with my heart, until it feels like my entire torso has been shot.

The last thing I remember is the roar of the ship's engines as it lands.

§ § §

I must have blacked out for a while, because I wake up in a bed with my side and left shoulder bandaged. A medical droid is walking around, observing a container. The moment I try sitting, I realize two things: I won't be walking around for a while and my gauntlets are missing.

"Please lie down." The droid orders. Any other time I would refuse. Once my head is resting against the pillow again, it reaches forward, clearly intending to stick me with a needle. Fear shoots through me and I swat his hand away.

"_Don't_...use needles. Please." It seems to take a moment to think my request through, then turns away.

"Very well. What would you prefer?"

_This is definitely not a Separatist medical droid, but can I trust it? _I'm not sure wether that was my survival or doubtful part. The two probably formed a moment-long-alliance to form that thought.

"What is there?" My voice feels raw, indicating that I've been unconscious for a lot longer than I thought.

"The options for medication are injections, pills, or sprays." I have a bad past with all three.

_Yeah, but you still have to take one, _my responsible and reasonable sides point out.

_Shut up,_ my mind growls, knowing that I still have to make the call.

"I'll take a pill, then." He comes back a minute later and offers me a cup of water and two white capsules.

I take half a mouthful of water and slip a pill between my teeth before swallowing, ensuring I don't have to taste anything. I do it with the second pill, wincing at the slight discomfort.

"Thanks." I say grudgingly.

"Rest now. You are safe here."

"Where is 'here'?"

"A Republic cruiser. As I said, you are safe." He may say it, but I'm not sure I'll ever feel safe. I usually get more of a 'the-danger-is-currently-postponed-until-further-notice' sense. I close my eyes.

_When was the last time I slept without my gauntlets anyway? Was it, oh, nine and a half months ago when I was still a Separatist prisoner? I think that was it. So my timeline of the last three years adds up to this: three months of sabotaging Separatists, exactly two years of being a captive, and now nine months after my escape and resumption of causing havoc among the Republic's enemy. This is going great. _That was too many sides of myself than I care to name.

The door opens and a tall man wearing a dark tunic walks in. He has brown hair, blue eyes, the right with a scar over it, and a lightsaber at his side. Jedi, period.

I try sitting again, but freeze when the droid makes a move toward me. We end up at a stalemate, where I am propped on my elbow, technically not sitting up, and he is halfway back to me. I hear a sound of amusement from the Jedi.

"I see you two are getting along well."

_His voice... It sounds like the one that belonged to 'Anakin'. Anakin. Anakin... Oh. 'Anakin' as in 'Anakin Skywalker' of the Jedi Order. Oh, kriff._

"Perfectly if he doesn't try to use needles." I offer, trying to mask my surprise at the famous Jedi's appearance.

"I need a few minutes alone with her." Skywalker requests. The droid leaves. I've never been one for over amounts of respect, but this is a Jedi Knight, and that means good behaviour. Unfortunately, I'm too old to throw aside titles, and too young to speak respectfully and sound like I mean it. He senses this awkwardness and sits down on a stool I had missed during my original inspection of the room.

"I'll cut to the chase. You will live and not suffer lasting affect from the laser bolt you took, but you shouldn't have been in a position to get shot in the first place. And before that, the Jedi who saved you told me you were being chased by an extremely dangerous Separatist assassin. I did some research and had a blood sample taken from you to confirm what I suspected." He pauses. I take that chance to buy myself a little time from the inevitable accusation.

"Wait, sir, how long was I out?" He made it sound like he had been poking around for a while.

"A couple of days. You were in a bacta tank. Back on topic, I found out the most interesting thing about you is that your DNA is a clone's. Now how did that happen?"

_And the hammer falls._

"This is why I took care _not_ to end up around other people. Yes, I'm a clone, though more like an accident to everyone else." I really do try, but the bitterness in my voice isn't well hidden; especially from a Jedi.

"I see. And how is it you were on the battlefield so young?"

"If you really did research me, then you would know that I disappeared three years ago. All that time was spent fighting or captured by Separatists."

"And you couldn't wait until you got the proper training?" A bark of humourless laughter leaves me before I knew it was coming.

"We both know they weren't planning on sending me out to fight like everyone else. I was going to end up with maintenance or as a lab rat." He studies me carefully, evaluating wether he's on stable ground or not.

"What's your name?" He asks.

"I didn't—I left before I was nicknamed." For some reason, this admission embarrasses me.

"Okay, then. Number?"

"CT-28-3758." I answer without hesitation. Those numbers were permanently branded in my mind ever since I could talk.

"Why did the Separatists want to capture you?"

"I'm a clone. What I did know I wouldn't tell. And besides; I'm kind of a genetic anomaly seeing how I'm female and all. That, and I...uh," I scratch the back of my neck. "I'd sort of been causing trouble for them for three months. I was a nuisance to have around." His stern expression holds long enough to make me uncomfortable before breaking into a smile.

"I bet you were. When did you get away?"

"Nine months ago, give or take a week." His expression softens.

"You were a prisoner for two years?" I nod, keeping a straight face. My face is more or less like the average cadet's, though feminine in a way that throws off most suspicions of my origins.

"Um, what happened to my gauntlets?" Changing the subject seems like the only way to break the growing silence.

"Confiscated. Where'd you get them anyway?" A smirk creeps into my expression.

"I might've _accidentally_ snitched them on my way out of the prison I was in". Whatever they're made of, they definitely work. Skywalker sits up straighter.

"And you didn't think they would have a tracking device on them?" His tone has shifted to a mix of urgency and near disbelief.

"'Course I did! I'm not an idiot. I searched them inside and out. Those homing beacons are long gone." He relaxes.

"Sorry. I'm a little cautious with anything concerning Separatists."

"Me too." The door opens and the droid comes back in.

"My patient needs to rest." I try glaring at it again, but it just waits until I lie down.

"I need to go anyways. Goodbye." Anakin says while standing up.

"'Bye." Once he's gone I get comfortable. I am not going to be moving for a while. "When can I get up again?" I mumble.

"Repeat. I did not hear your statement."

"Do you know when I can get up again?" An edge of impatience is noticeable in my tone.

"I am assigning you two weeks of bed rest. Do not try to get up unless to relieve yourself." My eyes snap open.

"What? I thought I was in a bacta tank earlier!"

"A genetic anomaly in your DNA caused the bacta to have a weaker effect on your body."

_Yet another reason to love being me._

_Shut up, Pessimistic Sarcasm.__  
_

* * *

_A.N. — So, there's the first chapter! Chapter two coming up, already prewritten and requiring only a bit of work. Please review, positive and negative comments._

_~Aranar'ven _


	2. Going Under

This must be what going insane feels like. I haven't moved except to use the bathroom for three days. At least I think it's been three days. I'm not sure if the medical droid treating me is accurate on that plain.

Sometime during the night of the third day, the door is opened and a trooper rolled in. Like me, his left shoulder has bandages on it, and some around his ribs to boot. A blanket covers the rest of his unconscious form. Yellow hair close to his head covers the top and back of his skull.

_Looks like room is running out for the wounded, _my sympathetic side observes.

The medical droid who's been taking care of me injects the clone with something before going to the other side of the room to tidy up a counter. After a few minutes of studying my new roommate, I lose interest and am back to being bored and unable to sleep. Until he wakes up, I'm stuck with nothing to do.

I've started calling my medical droid Six-Dot for the number of glowing dots where its eyes are. Three per optic. I can think of plenty more nicknames, but leave it at my most used one.

When I look at the injured soldier again, something twinges in my chest.

_How many clones died in the battle that injured him? _Definitely my sympathetic side._  
_

I may have left the Republic, but I was and am on their side. And always with my brothers. One quality that I share with all the other clones is my sense of loyalty.

I regret sleeping earlier. Now I'm stuck with hours of nothing to do. I roll onto my left side. This warrants immediate protests from Six-Dot. I'm starting to consider causing more trouble so I won't be bored. After several minutes of ignoring orders, I feel a prick on my arm and roll on my back to get a better look. From what I can tell, Six-Dot just injected me with something. I start feeling heavy, and can't move. Through the haze in my eyes, I can see the soldier is awake.

"What happened to 'no needles'?" I growl before the weight reaches my eyelids.

§ § §

When I wake up again, I don't move, don't change my breathing pattern, and don't open my eyes. I listen carefully to the sounds filling the small room. Six-Dot is definitely in here. I turn my concentration over to the new arrival'a breathing. He's still awake.

My head is lolled right, facing the soldier and the door. I wait until I hear the door open and close. My left eye opens to a slit. The clone is watching me. I can't see much of the room, so I give him a questioning look, then flick my eyes to my left, asking silently if anyone is behind me. He smiles.

"The droid's gone, kid." I open my eyes all the way and prop myself up like I did when Skywalker was here.

"Good to know."

"He's been putting you out a lot?" I shake my head.

"Nah. I just don't like getting stuck with needles." I hear him before I see him and go back to lying down. I don't try to hide being asleep, though. When Six-Dot walks in, he looks me up and down before walking back to the table.

I watch the droid carefully, not missing a single move.

_He's going down to Three-Dot if he tries to stick me again, _my more aggressive side mutters.

And yet, despite my less-than-friendly thoughts and death glares, I'm approached with liquid-filled syringes. I wait as long as I can, hoping he won't be coming to poke me, but then he reaches for my arm. I pull it away a little too quickly than necessary. Six-Dot looks at me.

"About that no needles policy." I hear a huff of amusement from the soldier.

"You need more rest." Worst excuse possible right now.

"What do you think I've been doing for the past several days?" He tries once more and grabs my arm before I can dodge again. I remember the claws of the torture droids back in the prisons and panic. When the needle goes in I start losing my grasp on awareness.

_I wonder if this is going to raise questions._

§ § §

Once again, I refrain from signs of consciousness until Six-Dot is gone. The soldier is looking around with bleary eyes, probably woken by the noisy exit. My side throbs from where it bounced against the firm mattress when I was struggling.

My fingers start drumming against the blanket covering my stomach. This has become my habit after the first day here. My other hand joins in until all of my fingers are tapping my chest.

"You alright there, Twitch?" It takes a couple seconds before I realize he means me.

"Yeah." Lie of the week. 'Twitch' is starting to suit me. It has for three years when I come to think about it. Another wonderful thing about my genetics is that I age at the regular speed of an average human. So it takes me twice as long as other clones to grow up...physically. I'm still as smart as any other thirteen year old cadet.

"You seemed a little worried about that injection." Why is it I knew this would come up?

"I already said; I don't like needles." Thankfully, he doesn't push the subject. Instead, he opens up a new one.

"Name's Rex, by the way."

_Blast it, I can't answer that one! _

I get this strange feeling that I shouldn't tell anyone I'm a clone, but what else can I do? I give up after a long thought chain that took a second to create. His expression finally breaks my hesitance.

"Uh, CT-3758." I really need a five-second-reset button. He scowls and looks at me critically, causing me to silently curse myself.

_Pseudonym, genius, use a kriffing pseudonym! You always use a fake name! _

_Sarcasm, do kindly shut up._

Clearly I'm not very good at lying to other clones.

"Hate to break it to you, but you aren't the right gender to be a clone."

"That's kind of been made painfully obvious in the past three years." I'm feeling defensive, like he's verbally attacking me.

I was wrong on two accounts. Twitch absolutely suits me and I need a five-_minute_-reset button.

"And you don't share our face." He adds.

"Not true if you exclude everything feminine."

"And if you were a clone, you wouldn't be injured at this age, right?" I feel like I'm getting scolded. A pocket of unchecked frustration bursts in me and I can't stop the words that come out next. I have no idea where the anger is from, but I know it isn't directed at Rex.

"Well, I _was_ injured at this age and younger. If you still want to know why I hate needles so much, it's because they were part of my torture when I went rogue and Separatists caught me. And the reason I went rogue in the first place was because I'm a flaw." The last words are soft and slowly deliberate. "I shouldn't even exist." My outburst was irrational and a result of overreaction.

_This isn't going to end well. _I'm really starting to wish I didn't have a pessimistic side.

Rex's scowl has twisted into an expression of deep thought. I can't tell what's going on in his head, and I'm not sure I want to know.

The door opens and Six-Dot walks in. His head is angled down and I immediately close my eyes and feign regular breathing. I'm silently begging Rex not to rat me out. I don't think I can keep clam through another inoculation. This is probably an irrational fear, but it's hard not to shy away from a syringe after two years of being poked with them.

I hear the droid coming closer and tense. My arms are under the blanket, so he won't be able to inject me without alerting me as well. I'm just about to knock him away.

_Five, four, three, two—_

"Wait." Rex's voice stops both of us.

"What is the problem?" Six-Dot asks.

"She hasn't moved once. I don't think she needs another shot for a while."

"You do not have medical training. She is to be kept unconscious until her bed rest is over." The very thought of ten days without movement makes me (unfortunately) visibly cringe.

I can feel Six-Dot moving the blanket again. My eyes fly open as I grab his needle hand and wrench it away from my body, sitting up. My patent garment shifts to show the bandage on my shoulder. Not much is visible, but it clearly draws Rex's attention.

"I've been generally well behaved. Ten days unconscious is not happening." My words are spat out, as though they have a fowl taste.

"I'm afraid it is." I look down and see that while I was busy with one hand, the other had injected me with a different needle. I fall back onto my pillow and get out a curse before everything goes dark.

§ § §

The next several days are spent unconscious or almost awake just to have my hopes ripped away by another needle. I don't know how long it's been, but I'm floating darkness constantly.

§ § §

I feel myself coming to, but just wait expectantly for the next injection to put me out. It doesn't come, though even after I regain full awareness I stay still. As usual, I wait for Six-Dot to leave. It takes forever, but I've learned patience over the last two weeks. As soon as he's gone I sit up and look around, clutching my head when a dizzy spell hits.

"Twitch, are you okay?" That's a voice I'm glad to hear.

"Hey, Rex."

"You look a little out of it."

"I am. Anyone try to blow up the ship?"

"Not yet. You, uh, you alright, kid?"

"Yeah. What about you?"

"I'm fine. Any idea when you can get up?" I half-smile at the soldier.

"Well, Six-Dot said two weeks of bed rest. I guess I can get up whenever."

"Six-Dot?" He raises an eyebrow.

"I nicknamed the medical droid taking care of us. It was a result of my boredom before you arrived."

"Heh. Any other nicknames for him?"

"Yeah. Boring." The joke is delivered with utter seriousness. This gets more laughter than it deserves, but I join in. My side still aches, but not as badly as before. I hear clanking and quickly lie down and close my eyes. A second later, Six-Dot walks in.

"Female patient, my sensors indicate that you are conscious. Explain your actions." Oh, grief.

"Just trying to make sure you don't stick me _again_."

"That was necessary. You needed the rest." I barely stop myself from starting an argument with a hunk of metal.

"Alright. But I'm restarting the 'no needles' rule." I don't care if it sounds childish. Needles and I have a very bad past.

"Very well." He turns to Rex. "You are able to walk. You are to report on the bridge after you get dressed." Oh, great. There goes my conversation partner. The soldier leaves without question, giving me a friendly nod before walking out with a loose shirt covering his torso. Back to being bored in five, four, three, two, one.

"You are also now able to walk. You have been assigned quarters. Return back here every other day." The droid tells me the location and I get up. After I find my new room, I go to the sink, grab a facecloth, and start cleaning my body. When was the last time I washed in clean water? After I've scrubbed myself down, I start living up to my nickname again.

_What is there to do? I can't really run around until my side has completely healed. I will _not_ get in bed for a while. Oh, yeah. I haven't eaten lately._

I find a map protected by a glass cover down the hallway and plot out the way to the Mess Hall. Good enough. I manage to find the Mess without getting lost, so I'm fairly pleased with myself. It's late at night as far as I can tell, so I'm one of the few who are here.

I get a helping of food and sit down at an empty table. I'm clearly not a Padawan, and the cruisers don't take tourists, so I really don't belong here. I feel painfully conspicuous, though thankfully my black, skin-tight shirt covers the bandages.

I wolf down my helping, place the tray among the other dirty ones, and return to my quarters.

_Well, now what? _

I once again have nothing left to do but sleep. Once I'm in bed, the aftereffects of the anesthetic drag me under again.

* * *

_A.N. ~ I forgot to mention in the first chapter that CT-3758 doesn't have multiple-personality-disorder or anything like that. She basically plays Devil's Advocate with herself. She is completely mentally sound, if a little hyperactive. Please review, negative and positive comments... Chapter three within the next nine to ten hours. I really have to sleep._


	3. Old Enemy, New Friend

I fall out of bed yelling. Another loud impact jerks me back and forth. I run out of my quarters and hear blasting. I race through my memories of the map and make a break for the nearest armoury.

_Need a gun, need a gun. _My survival side chants.

I almost run into a droid/clone filled corridor. I take cover behind a large hunk of debris. A dead clone's gun catches my eye and I grab it. I start shooting at the droids, hitting as much as any other trooper. We shoot down the last of the machines.

I go past all the destroyed machinery and check around the corners. The only enemy I see is tall, skinny, bald and walking this way. I curse.

How is it I'm always where Ventress is? I look behind me and see the clones. They wouldn't last a minute against her.

I grab another gun, remove its power pack, throw the tiny box at her, and send a laser bolt after it.

As I suspected, Ventress is unscathed. It wasn't meant to kill her, though. It was meant to make her chase me. I jump out and send a few shots at her before turning and racing away. Behind me, she starts following in my wake.

_There had better be a Jedi nearby. _Survival mutters._  
_

I aim behind me and shoot blindly, weaving in case she sends a bolt back in my direction. I can hear the sound of a lightsaber up ahead. Good news, Skywalker is there. Bad news, he's already occupied with a gigantic white droid with lightsabers of its own.

I shoot at Ventress again and am rewarded with her continued pursuit. I keep going, but I can only do so much. I'm starting to lose ground to my injury and lack of exercise over the past two weeks.

An invisible rope wraps around my neck and I'm jerked to a stop. I can't move, can't breathe, can't hold onto my gun. I claw at the area around my throat, only to find nothing but air. She turns me around to face her.

"You!" She growls. The only reply I can give her is a strangled gurgle. She comes closer, pinning me against the wall. "I would gladly kill you right now, but Dooku wants you alive." Something tightens around my neck until I can't get any air in or out. "He didn't say in good health, though." Blackness is clouding around my vision.

_This is it. I'm going back to being a prisoner. _My hopeless side whimpers.

The tightness disappears and I fall heavily on my side. Something grips my wrists and starts dragging me down a corridor. I finish coughing after twenty steps, then struggling at twenty six. I twist around and dig my heels against a heavy piece of metal and hold on.

_I will _not_ become a lab rat for the Separatists, _My defiance hisses.

She hisses and swings her hand over her shoulder. I go flying past her and collide with the wall.

_That really hurt._

I start crawling away, but the invisible ropes coil around me again. I can't move anymore. She isn't stilling my body, but everything hurts so much now. A quiet moan comes from me.

My right shoulder burns from being dragged along and so does my right side where that droid shot me. Blasting starts and we stop. I watch helplessly as the assassin starts cutting down clones.

A jagged piece of metal is beside me. I grab it and manage to send it at Ventress' legs. She stops it and continues to kill my brothers.

I begin throwing whatever is close to me in her direction until she swings a hand at me. The only thing that registers before I'm flung away is fear.

I land on my back. Someone bends over me; the Jedi with red hair. I manage to stand, but only with the wall's support and a hand on my side.

A clone in blue marked armour is thrown close to where I am. I limp over and check his pulse. He's alive.

I don't have to look to know that the Jedi and assassin are fighting. I grab the clone by his arms and drag him back out of the way.

After we're as far as I can go, I slump down beside him. He's really heavy with armour on. He shifts and groans.

_Oh, great that he wakes up now instead of twenty feet ago, _Sarcasm and Pessimiscism grumble.

"Are you alright?" I ask.

"Twitch?" I have to take a moment to realize who it is.

"Rex? Good to know Ventress didn't slice you in half." He sits up and clutches his ribs. Looks like I'm not the only one who hasn't recovered.

"What are you doing here?"

"The bald witch dragged my butt here after I tried to shoot her."

"And you shot at her because?"

"Because I knew she would chase me and not continue killing other troops. And I was hoping to kill her." He hands me a gun.

"Where is she now?"

"Fighting a Jedi." A red bolt almost hits me. I dive to the side and take cover in between two pieces of wall that stick out. No super battle droids, but plenty of regular ones.

_This would be a great time to have my gauntlets handy._

I take two down and keep shooting. A spare power pack would help as well. We continue shooting until one droid stands. Two blue shots hit it at the same time.

"That worked out pretty well." Says Rex. The Jedi rounds the corner. I step out of the gap and stand at attention as best as I can, considering that I feel like falling over. Rex joins me. I'm addressed first.

"You shouldn't be out here." He says sternly.

"Didn't have much choice after Ventress dragged me here."

"Hmm. Captain, go assist Anakin."

"Yes, sir." He runs off immediately. I follow the Jedi.

"So tell me why a Separatist assassin would try to capture you." Not a question, but an order. Fine by me.

"I shot at her. We've met before."

"I see. You should go to a safe room." I shake my head.

"And miss all the fun?"

"You are too young to be in battle. Especially considering what happened last time."

"One battle out of dozens! You can't judge my abilities over one fight." I'm pushing it. No one talks to Jedi like this.

"That may be, but—" I tackle him to the ground just as a bolt flies where he had been standing. I roll to the side and crouch beside the wall. There isn't any cover here.

I start shooting at the droids. The red haired adult begins cutting them down. Soon we destroy all of our opponents.

I notice a clone lying farther along. When I check his pulse, I'm surprised to find that he's alive.

"Over here." I say loudly. Suddenly the clone wakes and curls up, hugging his sides. Something is wrong.

"Trooper, is anything broken?" The Knight demands.

"I think my ribs are..." Whatever he was planning on saying is lost in a fit of coughing. Blood trickles from his lips. Where's his helmet? It doesn't matter.

"Can you walk if I support you?" I ask.

"I'll try." I loop my shoulder under his and stand. My side spasms with pain, and I'm taking most of the weight. The Jedi moves to help but stops when his comm link goes off.

"Master, we need backup at the bridge." I recognize Skywalker's voice.

"I'm a little occupied right now, Anakin." I feel indignation at that.

"It's okay. I can manage. Go." He starts opening his mouth. "If the Separatists gain control of the ship, it won't matter wether you're here or not." I interrupt.

"Fine. Do you know where the nearest safe room is from here?" I look around quickly.

"Yes." The weight is starting to wear on me.

"Alright. Hurry." I turn and start walking in the direction of safety, pacing myself for the clone's benefit.

"What's a kid doing out here anyways?" The soldier huffs between breaths.

"I'll let you know in the safe room. Who did this to you anyway?" As far as I can tell, he's trying to distract himself.

"Grenade blast." Ouch. Why is it I know how that feels? Oh, yeah. Because I've been there and done that.

"Sounds painful."

"I'm not supposed to complain about injuries." Subject closed. I stumble over a piece of debris. We barely catch ourselves before falling and when we do, I'm taking all the weight before he can straighten himself. I hear him groan, but pretend I heard nothing.

"So what's your name?" I ask.

"CT-5555. I'm usually called Fives." He has standard black hair in a buzz cut close to his head in the style that many clones wear, and the same, if a little more haggard, face as every one of our brothers along with a black goatee and connected moustache. A tattoo of a five is on the right side of his forehead.

"I'm Twitch." I surprise myself with the answer. I hadn't expected to use it, hadn't known what to call myself at all.

"That's your real name?" I don't take his tone personally. Injury brings out the worst in some people.

"No, but I prefer it to my real name." I can see the doors up ahead. Just a little bit farther. I'm staggering now. My chest is on fire and black spots cloud my vision.

A lone droid walks across the open intersection ahead of us. I freeze. If it sees us now, I won't be able to do anything. I quietly lift my gun and take aim. But what if more droids are coming? I limp sideways and put Fives down, then lie on the floor as well.

"Play dead." I whisper. He goes limp and I watch the droid through a slitted eye. Just as I feared, more droids follow. Then something that really makes my heart skip; the white droid with lightsabers. I I hold my breath as they walk right past us. When they are farther along, I wait a good ten minutes before risking movement. The hallways are deserted.

I get up, only to immediately slump against the wall. I'm shaking violently. Fives is busy hugging himself, probably trying to alleviate some of the pain.

After checking the upcoming intersection, I force myself to stoop down and help him up. We make our way slowly to the door. It is protected by a pass code.

"Please tell me you know this." I say while gesturing to the panel.

"Yes." I swing around and wait until the doors slide open. I feel frustrated suddenly that even if it was to help an injured soldier, the Jedi still got his way and sent me to a safe room.

We get in, lock the doors, and I help Fives into a seat, then collapse to his right, lying on my side. After several minutes of staying still and breathing, I shakily get up. Even though I've rested it still feels like I just sat down. I look Fives up and down before moving.

"You should lie down. It'll hurt less." He does what I suggest without complaint. I move across from him and lie down myself, hand on gun.

§ § §

The door opening snaps me out of the half-sleep I'd given in to. I'm up and aiming the gun so quickly I nearly fall over from dizziness. I almost shoot Rex. His helmet is on, but the blue markings give his identity away.

"Good to see you." I say after sitting down again. Fives apparently blacked out sometime ago.

"Likewise. Are you injured?"

"Not as badly as he is." I point to the soldier across from me.

"I'll get a medical team down here. You should report to the sickbay." I almost protest, but my side starts a fresh wave of pain.

"Alright. Bye, Captain."

"Let's leave it at Rex." I nod and limp out, no longer trying to hide my pain.

§ § §

The sickbay is hectic, full of injured soldiers and rushing doctors.

On closer examination, I found that several layers of skin had been rubbed off my right shoulder, causing bleeding and soreness.

I stand in a small corner and wait for things to slow down. I end up sitting and waiting for the better part of an hour before I'm noticed. I'm glad for once that it's a medical droid and not a clone medic. Less questions to answer.

"Injuries?" I get up.

"My right shoulder needs some antibiotics and I'm recovering from getting shot two weeks ago." I'm led to a separate room and asked to remove my shirt. This would be awkward if it wasn't a droid.

It checks the bandages, slathers ointment on both injuries, and sends me on my way.

I have no where else to go besides my quarters. It takes several minutes of wandering to find them again.

My bed is cold and messy from when I left it. I slide on top of the blanket and close my eyes.

* * *

_A.N. ~ there's chapter number three. Sorry for not fitting in my previous time frame. Darth Real Life attacked. Number four will be up sometime in the next 2-3 hours. Please review, negative and positive..._


	4. Mechanical Mayhem

When I wake, the first thing that catches my eye are a pair of long, white gauntlets. I bite my cheek to be sure that I'm awake. When the weapons stay where they are I get up and snap them on, taking care to not put them backwards.

Once they're secure, I activate the blades and am relieved that they work. As soon as the sharp edges are sheathed, I prepare to leave. A note is on my door.

_'Since you insist on fighting, you may as well have these', _it says. I put it on my bed and walk out, vowing to never remove my gauntlets unless absolutely necessary.

_Now what? I'm starting to really feel useless. Besides drawing Ventress away from clones only to see her kill some anyway, I've done nothing but drain resources. Next planet we dock on, I'm leaving. Nice of them as it was to help me when I was injured, I have no intention of sticking with the Republic. I'm so accustomed to being rogue, I have no place or purpose here. It would be great to know where we're going, though, since I prefer to have in idea of what I might run into, _my general conscious says.

A group of troopers run past. Another one jogs behind, wearing full armour and recognizable blue markings. I start hurrying shoulder to shoulder with him.

"Care to fill me in?" I ask, turning a corner.

"We're going to the planet below us, and taking it back from Separatists. Stay here." Rex orders. Yeah, right. He thinks that's going to happen. I keep up with him.

"So I'm guessing I can't come?"

"No, unless you manage to convince General Kenobi. He'll be in the hanger, where we are currently going. Good luck."

"You too." I follow them to the large room and search for the general. Now I know the red-haired Jedi's name: Obi-Wan Kenobi. I see him talking to Skywalker and walk over.

_I'm getting better. Running barely took anything out of me, _my survival-based side notes.

"One moment." Kenobi says before turning to me.

"Hello young one. I see you found your weapons."

"Yes, thank you. I don't suppose you would consider letting me put them to good use down there." I wave towards the red and black sphere I can see out of the open hanger door.

"As I've said; you're too young to be in battle. You might very well be killed." I'm not going to give up that easily.

"In case you haven't heard, I've been fighting the Separatists since I was ten. I can handle this!"

"Yes, but I also heard you were a tortured prisoner for two years. No."

"But—" He raises a hand and I shut up.

"When you're old enough, feel free to go. But until then, you will have to do with staying off the battlefield."

"You think I want to stay on a cruiser for several years? I don't even plan on staying with the Republic for one. I'm a rogue." I regret the words the second they leave my mouth. This would be a great time to have a five-second-reset button.

"You are also a child. I can't control wether you choose to stay with or leave the Republic, but I can be sure you don't come." I nod and stalk off.

_Let him think I gave up. He doesn't know me well enough to suspect that I plan to go despite orders. If I get caught, I'll just slip away. But if I'm not, I will make it to the planet. _I usually only use my scheming side against Separatists, but this won't actually hurt the Republic.

I wait in the shadows until the ships take off for the surface. I sneak to the escape pods and turn one on. I get in and press the launch button after setting coordinates. Here's hoping nobody notices the pod as it leaves.

§ § §

The landing was rough, but nothing is broken. After looking around carefully and getting my bearings, I head towards the troops I'd seen before landing. Hopefully they didn't see me.

Everything here is dark, misty, and forbidding. I remember this planet from my travels. The inhabitants that live on this rock are advanced in technology.

I almost step on a thick vine. But wait, I've seen these kinds of bumps before. I toss a rock at a large dome half hidden by mist and step back. The 'vine' starts waving around, copied by several other tentacles. A mouth appears, full of teeth. Yep, this is Umbara.

I give the vixus a wide berth and continue on my way, keeping an eye out for signs of danger. If there were that many clones sent here, that means the enemy is numerous and strong.

After five hours of walking around, I hear blasting. My arm-blades come out and I hurry forward, keeping low to the ground. Over a ridge, I can see Republic troops firing at natives who wear glass helmets. I'm currently to the right of the clones.

I see an Umbaran sniper in the trees and circle around. The climb up is hazardous, but killing the marksman is easy. I grab his gun and start shooting whoever isn't in white armour.

I have to hop to the other side of the trunk when several green laser bolts are sent my way, but continue shooting. After there are no more enemies to worry about, I climb to eight feet and jump.

My body is stopped inches off the ground and I can't move. A tall Besalisk with green skin holds his hand up, keeping me immobile.

"Who are you?" He asks. He has lightsabers.

"General Kenobi sent me." I'm praying he won't call my bluff.

"Did he now? Has the General started sending children to die?"

"No, sir." I reply, my voice blank of any emotion to hide my rising irritation. A trooper walks up. Once again, I'm glad Rex is around.

"Sir, she _was_ talking to General Kenobi earlier." The Jedi (that's what I assume he is) has such a firm hold on me that I can't even sheathe my arm-blades.

"Well, then. We have a new soldier." I land on my feet when he lets me down, which was more like dropping me than anything. I stand straight, determined to not show weakness. I walk behind the Jedi and a group of high ranking clones.

Well along the way, a flying creature dives at the soldiers in front. The animals are black with glowing green markings, and they are dangerous. One dives at me and flies away with a big cut to show for its effort. A clone is being lifted off the ground. I jump and slash at the animal's head. It screeches and lets him fall.

"Twitch, what are you doing here?" I help him up.

"Do I know you?" The Jedi chases off the last off the creatures.

"Does anyone else want to stop and play with the animals?" He asks, glaring at a silent Rex. "Didn't think so. Now keep moving!" He stalks away as I glare at him.

_Several of us just died and he calls it playing. If a blaster doesn't get him, I will._

§ § §

It's been twelve hours without a break in our pace when we start down a slope. As far as I can tell when we reach the bottom, we're walking on a road. This is a ridiculously bad idea. Anyone with an ounce of sense would know better. Just as the thought passes, a land mine goes off. One more, and everyone freezes, dropping to the ground.

"Oz is down." One clone reports.

"So is Ringo." Another says. Rex gets a sweeper in place and we follow him carefully. A small explosion goes off, not caused by the clones, followed by a laser bolt that nearly hits me, and would have if I hadn't dodged it.

_Rocket launchers. Wonderful_. My Sarcasm ebbs into my thoughts.

My arm-blades slide out. A blast flies at me and I angle it back towards the shooter. There are enemy troops, enemy ships, and we can't last long.

I jump on a low-flying Starfighter and take a swipe at the glass. A ray shield jolts my arm to the side. Instead of going for the pilot, I settle for cutting the ends of the guns off and jumping away. Not many of us are going to make it. Rocket launchers send soldiers flying, Umbarans come on the road and try fighting.

"You want a piece of this?" One clone yells, shooting down hostiles with a Z-6 Rotary Blaster Cannon. More explosions come.

"I think Hardcase made them mad!" Someone points out.

"All squads, fall back now!" Rex shouts. I run alongside a few of the others. I look back and barely stop a bolt from killing me. I vault over some roots and hold my ground beside the clone I'd saved from the animal. He hands me a gun and I shoot beside him.

"Remind me when we met." I ask after shooting another enemy.

"You helped me on the cruiser. Got me to a safe room." I duck and get up again.

"Fives, right?" He nods. "How are your ribs feeling?" The local militia retreats.

"Where are you going? Get back here!" Yells who I think is Hardcase.

"They're falling back!" Fives yells. He turns back to me. "Never been better." I stand up and sheathe my blades.

"CT-7567, do you have a malfunction in your design?" Krell demands, roughly bumbling Fives' shoulder as he stalks past. "You pulled your forces back from taking the enemy city! The enemy now has control over this route. This entire operation has been compromised because of _your failure_!" The Jedi shouts. Fives breaks in.

"General Krell. In case you haven't noticed, Captain Rex just saved this platoon. Surely you can't _FAIL_ to recognize that!"

"ARC-5555," he draws one of his lightsabers and I tense as the deadly blade hovers near Fives' neck. "Stand down." I nearly knock the lightsaber away with a gauntlet, mentally restraining myself.

"Sir, yes sir." Rex steps forward as Fives walks away.

"Sir, if I may address your _accusation_. I followed your orders, even in the face of a plan that was in my opinion, severely flawed. A plan that cost us men," he takes his helmet off and raises his voice, "not clones; _men_!" He lowers his voice. "As sure as it is my duty to remain loyal to your command, I also have another duty: to protect those men." Krell considers this for a few moments.

"You have a spark of tenacity Captain, I'll give you that. I know that I don't command like the Jedi you're used to serving. Certainly not like General Skywalker. But I have my way. It may be difficult, but these are difficult times, and it's proven effective. I suppose your loyalty to your men is to be commended. They seem to admire this. That's important to an effective commander. All right, Captain Rex, your opinion has been noted. Dismissed." The General walks away. Fives rejoins us. At least Krell called Rex by his name rather than number.

"I think he almost complimented you." The ARC says. Rex sighs.

"It's hard to tell."

"Incoming!" Someone shouts. A large glowing ball of light lands and explodes, sending clones flying. Great, more Umbaran rocket launchers. Green laser bolts and more explosions break out.

I unsheathe my blades and climb a tree that has an Umbaran with a rocket launcher. I kill him and steal his weapon. I almost laugh as I turn the enemy's own device against them. While I'm busy blowing up aliens, the others shoot on the ground.

An enemy starfighter sends two glowing orbs into our ranks and kills several of us. I shoot at the craft and am satisfied to see it go down. Another one comes, wreaks havoc, then flies off. Rex, Fives, and a few others run forward and kneel down, shooting as who I think is a medic drags an injured trooper to the side of the road.

I shoot and help cover them, then take up shooting other trees where green lights are coming from. My launcher clicks. There goes that idea. I discard it and climb down, then use my arm-blades to help protect the medic as he inoculates the injured soldier. I can hear Krell talking about an airbase to General Kenobi.

"Incoming, incoming!" A blast goes off nearby. I stay with the medic, making sure he doesn't get shot while he checks for survivors. Rex starts waving us back and into the jungle. We run until no more enemy fire is raining down on us.

§ § §

I stumble and pick myself up before I can fall. Seventeen or eighteen hours with no rest and continuous physical exertion. Everyone is exhausted. On a high outcropping, we can see the airbase. It's big, blue, and miles away. Rex takes out a pair of electrobinoculars.

"There's a base there, all right. And it's heavily guarded. At least three tank divisions plus guns." That doesn't sound good.

"We will advance along the central gorge, and engage their forces in a full forward assault." Krell decides aloud. That's a bad plan.

"The gorge is narrow, sir. We'll only be able to move our platoons in single squads." Rex points out. "Perhaps a closer recon will tell us if there is a more secure route."

"Obi-Wan and the other battalions are holding off the enemy right now while they wait for us to take out this base. We don't have time to look for a more secure route." Krell speaks impatiently, as though dealing with pesky children.

"Yes, sir." Rex says. Much more blind obedience and I will seriously question Rex's judgement. We make our way down the ridge carefully and start through the gorge in two squads made by Rex.

A group of the men start arguing. One points out that Skywalker actually lead in the front, yet Hardcase says it will be fun.

"A full frontal assault would leave us too exposed." Fives says, shouting like the others. Troops starts muttering to each other. This isn't good.

"Fives." Rex prompts, walking away from the group to talk to the ARC. After that, Rex, Fives and Hardcase scout out ahead, then split up the troops. I end up with Hardcase. We head to the left and walk quietly. Just as we meet up with Fives' group in a misty clearing, vibrations shake the ground.

"What was that?" Fives asks. Suddenly the ground shakes and a gigantic centipede-like machine comes to the surface. I back up a little. It starts shooting just as we do. I roll out of the way when it almost lands on me. We retreat into the trees just as another one appears. They're taking down our men left and right.

"Rex, we need rocket launchers!" Fives shouts over his comm. An explosion knocks me over. I hear a loud groan, and look up to see a large tree branch falling. I scramble backwards, but not fast enough. The heavy wood lands on my right leg. I yell as it bruises the skin.

One of the pilots in the machines must see me, because one of the crafts is coming this way. Another heavy branch lands on my abdomen, effectively pinning me. I yelp in pain.

The machine is almost on me when a light flashes and I hear, feel, and even taste the explosion. I shield my eyes as debris sprays everywhere. By some miracle, I'm not hit by shrapnel or crushed by anything besides what's already on me.

I try moving the wood, but I'm not strong enough to shift it. Another explosion signifies the end of the other machine. I squirm under the trunk-thick branch.

_Ow, ow, ow it landed on the place where that droid shot me_.

I manage to get my right leg free, but I'm in a kind of groove that makes getting up impossible. I unsheathe and try cutting with my arm-blades. Unfortunately, they only go so far. I push on the branch and wiggle upwards. Hardcase appears and pulls up, and with his help I get out from under the blasted thing.

"Thanks." I say.

"Watch out for the plant life. Some of it will eat you." He walks away.

"Don't I know it." I mutter. We move out again. The next time we come to a large clearing, I'm weary. Just as some soldiers go into the open, a blast kills them. I run to the side and get my weapons ready. A huge machine is walking around, crushing some and shooting others. I take a quick look. The cockpit is ray shielded, just as the smaller ships were, but maybe...

"I'm going to try something." I shout at Rex before running at one of the machine's legs. It lands so close that the dirt it sprays hits me. I hop on and start climbing.

"What are you doing?" Someone yells.

"Something crazy." I reply. The leg lifts and falls again. I almost fall off, but hold on. The leg has plenty of handholds. After the first two steps, I'm used to the jolt.

By the time I reach the top my arms are shaking and I feel like I'm fighting to move, as though my limbs are encased in stone. I hold on and breathe before looking around.

An access hatch catches my eye. It is firmly in place, and when I try, I can't break it open with my blades. I take out the gun Fives gave me, aim it at the lock, and fire. I almost get killed when the bolt refracts off the surface and back at me. I try making a hole anywhere else, but it's useless. I quit after almost twenty minutes of unsuccessful attempts, one including an attempt to cut off a metal leg.

When the machine nears a tree shaped like a pinecone with short branches that end in hard bulbs, I jump onto the plant. The climb down is difficult, and I can barely stand. My side is hurting to the point of tears, though my face is dry and will remain so. I limp back to the others. Rex pulls me to the side and into cover.

"What were you doing up there?" He demands.

"Trying to get in. My arm-blades and gun were useless, but I think a lightsaber could penetrate the hull." He considers this.

"I sent some men to the airbase we are supposed to attack. If they get some enemy ships, we could destroy those tanks. I'll suggest the lightsabers to General Krell." He's gone before I can ask him why he told me about the soldiers and airbase. I try shooting the machine from a distance, but it's just as ineffective as when I was point blank. A hand on my shoulder makes me jump. Rex is back.

"I take it he's not going to help?" I growl.

"Apparently the soldiers I sent to hijack enemy ships are good enough. We just have to hold out until then." I have dozens of unkind words spinning around in my head for Krell.

"We're just wasting ammo on those things. I shot one point blank and it didn't work. The best option right now is not getting killed." I say; shooting, hitting, and not hurting one to prove my point.

"I know. Look for any wounded and help them. From what Fives told me, you're good at that."

_Huh, looks like I have a reputation._

I start running from clone to clone, checking vitals with disappointment at every turn. I finally find one groaning on the ground.

"Can you stand?" He tries sitting up and falls back with a yell of pain. I take that as a no. "I need help over here!" I shout. A clone takes notice and runs over. "This is going to hurt." I warn the injured soldier before getting my arm under his.

The clone I waved over does the same. This brings more loud noises from the pained man. We stand and I scan out the fastest way to relative safety. I start leading the way quickly.

The wounded man's feet drag on the ground, leaving us to support all the weight. Rex takes my place, evening out the awkward angle my size had left. I return to flitting about, checking on every felled soldier that has a chance of being alive. I find one with a pulse and not too many apparent injuries, so I remove his helmet.

"Hey, wake up. Come on, soldier." He barely moves. I lightly slap him. "Come on! Don't tell me an oversized tinnie knocked all the fight out of you!" He grunts and opens his eyes.

"What happened?"

"You got knocked out. Can you stand?" He painfully gets to his feet. I loyally escort him back to my informally established sick point. As soon as I'm sure the field medic sees him I run back to the point where I last was.

I suddenly have to dodge a metal foot before continuing on my way. The tank starts shooting at me. Instead of fear I feel exasperation. I get underneath the machine and follow it around until I'm sure its pilots have forgotten about me.

It steps near a group of clones and knocks them over. I dash to their sides. Most are alive, to my relief. I shake them to full awareness. One's leg is crushed from where the foot stepped on it. The amount of blood tells me there is little hope he will make it.

I help him back to the medical drop off. My left pant leg is stained scarlet. The medic rushes over and takes him off my shoulder. I look over the slowly growing pool of blood and injured soldiers. My throat tightens before I tear myself away to start running around and checking for any more survivors.

A loud booming followed by a shockwave throws my body several feet away. I can't breathe for a minute. I'm winded and stunned. I can't get up, my side feels like it just got shot again, and I can't hear anything. In general, I am now a sitting duck.

Someone is grabbing my arm, and my other one. I force open my eyes and see Rex dragging me towards the medic. My chest unlocks and I start gasping for air, gulping in oxygen as quickly as I can. I sit up as we move, then stand. I need support from the Captain, but I'm sure nothing is broken.

I move as far out of the way as I can at the medical point. All I need is a minute to get my strength back, and I'll be good to go. When I can't stand hearing anymore screams from hurt or dying clones, I get up. The medic is too busy with someone else to notice.

I begin running around again. Two more Umbaran Starfighters appear. My shoulders sag at the thought of more gunfire, then straighten when I see the pilots. Two of our men, one per ship, open fire on the pair of gigantic tanks.

I start cheering like the rest of my brothers, then scrambling out if the way when the tanks fall. As glad as I am to see the machines go down, I have to wonder how many living but injured clones they just crushed. I catch sight of the medical point, or where it was before a gigantic leg fell on it. The only troops I find are dead ones when I check.

* * *

_A.N. ~ as I stated before, I know I didn't write everything as it happened. Some scenes are different and some don't even exist in the TV series. Please review, negative and positive..._


	5. Pulling Straws

With the help of our two commandeered ships, we take over the airbase easily. After getting a decent meal and a nap, I walk around and get an idea of the place.

Loud crashing from a hanger gets me running. By the time I get in, a clone is just lowering a ship down. Everything else is in flames or disorder.

_Oh, no._

The Jedi stalks in, followed by the Captain. The pilot clone; Hardcase, and the one who I assume was helping him; Fives, walk up.

After hearing them explain that the ship was booby trapped, I know there's more than what they're telling. As soon as Captain Rex and Krell leave, I join them.

"I take it that wasn't a booby trap." I say to Fives.

"You were listening in." Hardcase accuses.

"Yes." I answer innocently. "But I'm still curious. You don't have to worry about me telling the General." They exchange looks.

"We're going to fly three Starfighters up to an enemy supply ship and destroy it." The ARC explains. This puts a smile on my face.

"Sounds like a good idea to me."

"The General doesn't think so." Hardcase growls. The smile leaves my face.

"I figured. I like what you're doing, but I can't help. So, I wasn't here, didn't see it, couldn't have stopped you." They smile and I sheepishly nod before leaving.

_This'll be good. But then, Krell is ruthless. If they do this without his knowledge, he'll be furious. As I said. Wasn't there, didn't see it, couldn't have stopped them._

§ § §

A couple hours later I see three ships taking off and grin.

"Good luck, boys." I murmur. I notice Rex near one of the hangers watching the ships. He doesn't look surprised, just concerned. I walk over, trying to look curious.

"Any idea why three ships just took off?" I ask.

"Looks like some of us just went to blow up a supply ship. I hope Fives knows what he's doing."

"Fives went with them? Thought he would." Not for the first or last time I wish I had a five-second-reset button. I'm not usually so loose-tongued, but something about Rex makes it hard to lie and easy to talk.

"You knew? Why didn't you say something?" He demands.

"Why didn't you? You clearly knew what they were planning." After a pause I look at him. "So how do you plan on telling the General."

"Bluntly."

"Guess you should get it over with. It's not like he can stop them now anyways."

"Good point. By the way; you heard nothing about this." I nod. Good a plan as any. Then I realize with amusement, well after the Captain has left, that he was trying to protect me by hiding my involvement.

§ § §

I try to get more sleep, but it's futile.

I give up and settle for finding a quiet corner out of sight and out of the building to pace in. Four steps one way, turn, four steps back. Four steps one way, turn, four steps back.

This goes on until I exhaust myself and have to sit down, watching the skies. When the ships finally come back, I immediately notice that one is missing. I watch from a distance as the two remaining pilots are taken in.

§ § §

"He what!?" I say, almost yelling. Rex looks as unhappy as I feel.

"The General ordered Fives and Tup's execution." I shake my head. I had intercepted the Captain as soon as I saw him and asked about the renegade clones' fates.

"That's ridiculous. I mean, if we do that, what makes us any better than the Separatists?"

"I tried to convince him, but he refused to listen."

"Yeah, he's really been helpful, standing back and letting us get slaughtered while he gives himself a manicure."

"That's insubordinate thinking. You know better." The rebuke is less than sharp, but I still listen.

"I..." I sigh before continuing. "I've kept my mouth shut and done whatever I'm told to because of my age, but there's a point where I won't keep quiet. What he's doing is wrong and we both know it. Isn't there anything you can do?" Hopelessness sits in Rex's eyes.

"I've done and said everything I can. If you don't want to go, I understand, but the execution is behind the hangers. If you go, stay out of sight." I nod and watch him walk away.

When I see the firing squad and prisoners, I follow them at a safe distance until we reach the hangers. I climb on top of a building and watch as they line up Fives and Tup.

"Take aim." One clone yells. The guns point at the prisoners.

"Fire!" I look away when the shots ring out, tears threatening to come.

"What?" The surprised voice brings my eyes up. Fives and Tup stand, unharmed. Black marks surround the walls around them. I sigh and listen.

"If this is how we are treated for acts of heroism, then we'll all end up dead someday." I'm sure that's Rex. I quickly get down and slink away to the sleeping quarters.

That squad and Rex could pay dearly for refusing to kill the insubordinates. True to my nickname, I fidget for almost an hour. The lights flick on and Rex starts shouting at us to wake up.

"The enemy is dressed as clones, so do not hesitate to kill any opposing soldier." The thought of Umbarans pretending to be clones gets my blood boiling. I end up ready before anyone else since I don't wear armour. Just arm-blades and a borrowed pair of holsters for two DC-17s. It will not be pretty for any Umbaran who gets within fifty meters of me.

§ § §

I advance into the jungle with the others. A bolt whizzes by my head, causing me to start.

"Take cover!" Rex and I simultaneously shout. I unsheathe my arm-blades, taking out my guns and beginning to shooting beside everybody else.

True to the Captains words, the enemy is dressed in clone armour highlighted with yellow paint. I scout out the area for more enemies and find some. I'm about to attack when one talks.

"Don't shoot, she's one of us!"

"What? Take off your helmet." I order. He lifts it and I find myself looking at a brother.

"What are you doing?" I barely hear him.

"What has Krell done? Don't shoot anyone! Those are your brothers." I say before I turn and run onto the battlefield. "Stop! Stop it! Those aren't Umbarans, those are your brothers! Stop shooting! Those are our men." Rex is running around without his helmet shouting similar things.

"Everyone stop!" I yell, running right in between where both sides are firing. "Everyone here is human! Cease fire, I repeat, cease fire!" I order loudly. Both sides stop shooting. Men take off their helmets. Not one Umbaran in sight.

Tears fill my eyes. How many of my brothers have I killed? I've ended the lives of those who I would give mine for. A lone tear escapes before I can stop it. I quickly wipe it away. Now and here is not where I will cry. I find Rex.

"I swear I'm going to kill Krell for this." I growl. My voice is tighter than I want it to be.

"Get in line. There's going to be one." He replies as a clone runs up.

"Captain, we found our platoon leader. It's...Waxer." I don't know why, but I follow Rex. We find a severely wounded soldier.

"Waxer, what happened? Who told you to do this?" The Captain asks.

"We were told to engage the enemy by General Krell. He said the enemy was dressed up like clones, but it was you." A tear slides from his eye before it glazes over.

I walk a short ways into the trees before letting out a quiet, almost inaudible hoarse shout and punch one of the trunks in frustration. I pull my hand away and see that the knuckles are bloody and split. Just like us. I take several seconds to breathe and cool off before rejoining the others. Rex addresses us a couple minutes later.

"By now I'm sure we all know what happened. Krell set us up to kill each other, and now we will take the General into custody. We have to make a plan, and take him down." I nod. While the higher ranking soldiers group together to discuss, I lean against a tree and wait. After they brief us on the plan, I walk with the others, thoroughly determined to make Krell answer for what he has done.

§ § §

"Are you alright?" Rex points to my bloodied hand.

"Yeah, but I'm sure a tree could say differently." He puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Well get Krell. Don't worry."

"And you're going up into a small space near a Jedi with two double-bladed lightsabers that happens to be ruthless and has no regard for our lives?"

"That's pretty much the plan."

"So I'm guessing I can't come." I say, mimicking my words on the cruiser before we came down here.

"You need to be down on the ground with the others."

"Fine, but I'm using my arm-blades. More for my protection and Krell's head."

"Heh. Try to catch him alive."

"No promises." We reach the base. I take up my position beside the other clones who are to stay on the ground while Rex and a small group of others find and prepare any other clones who weren't at the battle.

After twenty minutes of tapping my fingers against each other, I see flashes of light in the tower where Krell usually stands. I tense and wait. The window breaks and a large green figure lands in front of us. He looks up and grins.

"A bunch of puny clones can't stop me." He says, sneering. I step forward.

"You forget." My arm-blades slide out. "I'm not a clone." He jumps forward and swings a lightsaber at my head. I deflect it and block the other one, causing us to become deadlocked, then I kick his leg. It doesn't do jack. His foot hits my knee at an awkward angle and I can feel something give out a second before the pain comes.

I manage to roll away before he can slice me in half. When I look up, he's cutting down clones left and right. He knocks dozens to the side using the Force and runs into the jungle. I stand, but the second I put weight on my right leg, it buckles and I fall over.

A hand on my shoulder almost gets cut off before I realize it's Rex. He and a few survivors from the tower stand over me.

"He went in the jungle." I say quickly, my words clearly indicating for them to leave me behind. They run off, followed by whoever survived on the ground. I twist over and examine my knee. It's swollen, sore, but that's all I can tell in this light.

I get up and quickly check for survivors, find none, then limp to the detention level. Fives and Tup aren't here, so they either died in the tower or went in the jungle with Rex.

_Oh, yeah. I guess I better go see if anyone is still alive in the tower._

I stagger into the elevator and have to sit until I reach the top. The smell is what hits me first, then the sight of all the dead soldiers. I only check those who have a chance. Not one is alive. I can see the troops coming back.

When I return to ground-level, I can see that they have Krell, and he's alive. Pity, I was hoping they'd bring back his dead body.

"No survivors in the tower." I report after a halfhearted salute.

"Noted. Get to the sick bay." Rex orders. I nod and limp away, emotionally numb. Whatever they decide, I hope Krell ends up dead.

* * *

_A.N. ~ brownie points to whoever got the Buffy reference. Next chapter within 2 hours if I can help it. Darth Real Life might strike, though, so no promises. Chapter Six will be within the day, though, and the end of the Umbara arc. I know Jesse was the one to go up, not Tup, but it made more sense that the latter went instead of the former, since he's closer to Fives. Please review, negative and positive..._


	6. Acceptance

My hopes were fulfilled, and when Rex tells me how, I feel relieved that Dogma was able to have a chance for closure.

My leg wasn't broken, but the medic said that I shouldn't put weight on it until it doesn't hurt.

Now, I pick at my food. After five minutes I force myself to chew and swallow. Food isn't easy to find on a planet which in itself is a battlefield. I guess I'm still upset from the clone-shoot-clone incident. I know for a fact that I killed more than one of my brothers.

As I look around the makeshift Mess Hall, I can see I'm not the only one. The usual chatter has been cut down to half it's ordinary volume, there are no smiles, and I can literally feel the gloom.

Plenty of other plates are filled with untouched meals. I would help cheer them up, but it wouldn't seem or feel genuine when I can't do it for myself.

Rex and Fives walk in and stop as if someone hit them. They look around at the glum faces and uneaten food. After a few moments I go back to toying with the crumbs of my meal. I have no where else to be.

"Good to know someone ate." I look up to see Fives and Rex sitting down, one to my left and the other across from me.

"Yeah." Is all I can think of saying. Rex takes in the Mess again.

"I probably already know the answer, but care to fill us in?"

"Best guess, everyone is upset about shooting each other by accident." Saying it aloud doesn't help my mood. Despite washing the blood away, it's easy to tell my knuckles had split at some point or another.

"Thought so. You don't look much happier." Fives points out.

"Should I look happy I killed some of our men?" They shake their heads in unison. By now they look as miserable as the rest of us and are toying with the contents of their plates. After a short while of silence and no food eating, I sigh.

"You guys need to eat. It won't make you feel any better, but going hungry isn't going to improve your mood." They exchange looks and reluctantly start shovelling slop into their mouths. Once they've polished off their meals, I decide to change the subject.

"Any new orders?"

"Just to stay put and hold the base." Oh, _that's_ going to help us forget. We end up looking around again.

"Whatever we do, morale is pretty much dead. I'm open to suggestions on how to cheer everyone up." I say. I get blank faces. The door opens, causing me to look up and see who I think is Tup. A small tattoo of a teardrop is under his right eye. Fives waves him over when he gets his food.

"I can see everyone is perfectly miserable." He says cheerfully while sitting down beside Rex across from a Fives and I.

"You almost sound happy. Do share what's got you in such a good mood." Fives asks, still as sad as ever. Tup's face falls.

"Nothing. Just trying to lighten the mood."

"Almost worked." I try, hoping to make everyone feel better. I look at Rex.

"What?" I looked too long.

"Sorry. Just, what do you normally do to boost morale after a battle?"

"A good toast usually works." Tup offers. Fives snorts.

"What'll he say, hmm? 'We may have killed a bunch of our brothers by accident, but hey, at least not all of us are dead." He looks angry now.

"Okay, anything besides a toast?" I break the uncomfortable silence among the four of us.

"We've never had this happen before. Morale generally stays up." Rex says. This is hopeless.

"I would tell everyone to toughen up any other time, but anyone who tells me that right now would get punched." I get stares. "I said that out loud, didn't I?" They nod. Fives looks at me mischievously.

"Hey, Twitch?"

"Yeah?"

"Toughen up." I can't help but smile, then lean away and punch his arm. It hurt me more than him because he's wearing armour and my knuckles are bleeding again, but he's done the impossible: made me cheer up.

I wipe my fist with a napkin and hold the fabric against it, but we all look a little better. Now if only we could do this with everyone else.

_Too bad it would be a waste of resources to have a food fight. We need paintball guns._

Our momentary happiness wears off and it's back to sad faces.

"A good distraction might do the trick." I say after the quiet gets too large.

"Such as?" Fives asks. I shrug.

"Maybe some friendly competition?" Tup cuts in.

"There's a good idea. Thought on what it would be about?" Rex rejoins the conversation.

"How about...obstacle courses? See who can do them fastest. Maybe races." The older soldiers exchange nods. Fives ruffles my hair.

"You are a little genius." I duck under his hand and push loose strands out of my face.

_This has got to work._

§ § §

By the time we finish scraping together a sizeable obstacle course and set out a race track, curious soldiers have ask about and joined in the construction. After it's done, I stand back and look it end from end.

My leg had prohibited my movement and saved me from lugging around heavy pieces of metal, but I had offered suggestions wherever I had a reasonable idea. Now we have climbing walls, places where you have to jump, grapple, and plenty of other things.

I'm timing Tup and Fives, and watching them race each other through the course. I keep up and watch until Fives just manages to outpace and beat his friend. When they come back, they're both gasping and coated in sweat. I laugh.

"Yep, that'll do it. Our obstacle course is now open." They smile through the deep breaths. There are already troops with free time coming to investigate.

"And this all is?" One asks.

"Obstacle course, morale booster, call it what you like." I say. He and his friend exchange looks.

"And it's open to anyone?"

"Anyone who isn't on their shift." Rex says while walking up. I end up timing the two troopers as they take the course one at a time. They insist on trying the racetrack after they can breathe again as well. I can't be sure, but I think they have competitive streaks in them.

More and more soldiers come until there are four to six person races on the course and racetrack. I find Rex after the hundredth batch of troops.

"I think it's safe to say this is a success." He says. I smile.

"I think you're right. Any idea when or how we clean it up?" I wince. If Krell were here, he would make us put it away double time. The thought of Jedi makes me think of Kenobi. When this is all over, I had better not be around.

But when I think about leaving, I feel regret. I just can't do it. Just as Fives and Tup had, I will accept the consequences of my actions. Not all Jedi are evil, after all. I abruptly decide something.

"Rex, can I talk to you?" He takes that as a 'this is a conversation away from other people' sign and leads me away from the loud obstacle course.

"Yes?" I can't believe I'm doing this.

"General Kenobi didn't send me. I came down here against direct orders. He is not going to be happy when he finds out."

"I thought so." I look up sharply.

"What? I mean, you knew?"

"I've served with General Kenobi often enough to know that he would never send a kid onto the battlefield, even one as capable as you." I look at my feet. "But telling me despite the chance of punishment shows that you're a good soldier. We'll let the General decide how to punish you. For now, though, you're one of us." I give him a small smile and he leads the way back to the obstacle course.

§ § §

When the transport ships land, I consider taking to the jungle again. But what Rex said, about me being one of them, keeps me where I am.

To my dismay, the first person to leave the ships is Obi-Wan Kenobi. His eyes find mine and a scowl covers his features. I swallow hard and try to keep my gaze steady. Rex puts a hand on my shoulder before going forward to meet the General.

We had cleaned up the obstacle course as soon as the news that the capital had fallen reached us. The morale booster worked, though. So at least I did something good on my unauthorized trip down here. The Jedi points and curls a finger at me. I walk over and join him.

"I distinctly remember telling you _not_ to come down here." His tone is strict.

"You did. I didn't follow orders. Sorry, sir." I don't make eye contact. Dread fills me. When no one says anything I risk a look up and can't believe he's smiling.

"My former Padawan would be so proud. I knew you would find a way down here." My mouth opens slightly and Rex chuckles.

"What, am I seriously that predictable to everyone?" I ask in bewilderment.

"No. But I sent you your weapons because we were almost to Umbara. I thought you might try something."

"Oh." Is all I say.

"Now that the fighting is over, you all are going back to the cruiser. So on those ships you go." I am just walking away when the Jedi says something else. "And young one. Since you obviously are not going to be sitting any battles out, no matter what we tell you, you've been assigned to Rex's legion, the 501st. Do try to follow his orders." I salute and get on the ship, secretly glowing with excitement. After a while, Rex joins me, followed by Fives, Tup, and several others. Fives pokes my arm.

"We're going to have to get you some blue paint."

§ § §

The markings on my gauntlets are simple, four-finger-wide, long lines that run from shoulder to wrist on the upper and lower sides of my arm. When I paint my arm-blades themselves, I just do an thumb-wide line of blue from top to bottom on the edges.

Once I'm satisfied with the paint, I put the brush away with the bucket and head to the Mess.

_When was the last time I ate? ...Oh, yeah, now I remember. Dinner back on Umbara when we decided to build an obstacle course. __That was, what, a day ago?_

When I get food, it's rationed, which doesn't help my case. I scarf it down quickly just as someone puts a hand over my eyes.

"If we were anywhere but on a Jedi cruiser, I would react using arm-blades." I say while acting perfectly normal, raising and eating a piece of food.

"Lucky for me I'm not off ship, then." The hand moves and I see the five tattoo before the face.

"Hey, Fives."

"Hiya Twitch. Look at you. You're looking more like a 501st soldier every day." He smile and sits down beside me.

"Just trying to fit in." This earns a chuckle because not only am I a girl, but I'm also the youngest soldier in Clone Wars history.

"Good luck with that." He tries to fork a piece of food off my plate and I smack his hand. Before he can try again, I steal some of his food instead. This earns immediate grumbling. Once again a hand goes over my eyes.

"What do we have here? A happy couple, perhaps?" I jerk my elbow back and hit something hard.

"Ouch." I mutter. Tup sits down across from us and rubs his stomach.

"You sure those elbows of yours aren't metal." I try to flatten out my tone.

"Roger, roger." I roll my eyes and swat away Fives's fork when he tries to steal more of my food.

"Go after Tup's food! It's not like he's wearing blades on his arms." I emphasize by tapping my blue-streaked gauntlet. Fives tries his friend and is once again stopped.

"Or better yet, eat your own food." Tup growls. I eat the rest of mine while they goof off. By the time Fives comes back to take my food, it's all gone.

"Better luck next time." I pat his shoulder. He eats what's left of his. We can all agree that that wasn't enough food. I watch as a soldier is turned away when he asks for seconds.

I start tapping my fingers again.

_What to do, what to do._

I see Rex come in. He joins us, and before Fives can try anything I steal his fork.

"No, you don't." I tease. He harrumphs. Tup finishes his meal by the time Rex gets halfway through his. Once no food is left on any plates, we are quiet. The Captain speaks first.

"Okay, down to business. Twitch, you're good, but you still need training. Fives, you've been assigned as her teacher, since you two seem to get along so well."

"That seems fair." Fives concedes.

"Sounds good." I add. Tup is beside Rex and gives a face. I kick his foot under the table. The expression changes into a pained one. I'd hit where his armour didn't quite protect him. I take advantage of his face.

"Don't cry, Tup. We can still meet in the Mess." I say. Rex looks in time to see the face. Fives and I burst into laughter when our friend's cheeks turn red.

"Ha, ha. Hilarious." He mutters.

* * *

_A.N. ~ okay, Chapter Seven some time in the next several hours. This story has a already been prewritten, so it'll be up within the next two weeks or so. As always, positive and negative reviews..._


	7. Tests And Taunts

_A.N.__ ~ so, since it's been seven chapters, just a recap that I don't own Star Wars. Only OCs, OPs, and OTs (Original Things). Enjoy!_

* * *

Training with Fives is harder than I expected. The physical and mental exercising is difficult, though he assures me I'm doing excellent for someone my age, and says that I excel in hand-to-hand combat.

I'm up early and training late, losing pounds to small rations and exercise. One day I wake up and Fives is shaking me.

"Wha—? What time is it?" I scramble out of bed.

"Half an hour after our usual meet up."

"My alarm must've malfunctioned." I tap the small box and it starts blaring at me. I turn it off quickly with a start of surprise.

"Get to the Mess double time." I nod and get to work as soon as he leaves. I change into a fresh set of clothes, wash my face, and speed walk to the Mess Hall. I get food and eat it fast.

I'm so absorbed in the meal that a hand tapping my back ends with me almost slicing Tup open with unsheathed arm-blades. My nerves are still on end. You can't turn off three years of caution in a few weeks.

"Sorry, Tup." He shrugs it off.

"Aren't you supposed to be in training with Fives?"

"My alarm didn't go off." I swallow the last mouthful.

"Better get going, then."

"Yeah. See you."

"Bye." I drop off my tray and hurry out. As soon as I'm past the door an arm wraps around my shoulders. On instinct of training, I drop, grab the hand, scurry backwards through their legs, and end up with the attacker at my mercy.

"Very good. You're a fast thinker." I let go and get up. Fives turns around.

"Should I be expecting more pop quizzes later?"

"Only if you're late."

"That's a 'yes' in disguise. I'm forty minutes late for the rest of the day." I protest.

"Then you better be on your toes." After we get to a quiet corner of the ship, two white armoured soldiers jump us. I hold off on my arm-blades, but dart around. I get the one I'm fighting against a wall and unsheathe my weapon, holding him there.

The other one tries to grab me and I twist. The after result is my holding both attackers on the wall at blade-point. Clapping from Fives makes me sigh.

"Another pop quiz?"

"Yes. You can let them go now." I step back, they step forward.

"You're not going to tell anyone about this, right?" One says.

"You shouldn't be embarrassed, seeing how it's Twitch you were fighting. I'll keep it quiet."

"Thank you, sir." They stand at attention for a couple seconds and walk away. Once they're out of hearing range I face Fives.

"Their secret dies with me."

§ § §

After weeks of training, I get restless. We're supposed to go down and fight on a planet soon. I forgot its name in five minutes. I've sharpened my arm-blades, washed up, tied my hair back, and have fifteen minutes to spare before heading down to the hanger.

My leg has since healed, though a little sore, my side is a slight twinge away from being better. I decide that if I walk slowly, I'll reach the hanger in ten minutes.

I head out and walk at a leisurely pace. Just as I thought, I reach the hanger in ten minutes. Rex waves me over.

"You look tense." I shift weight from foot to foot.

"Just living up to my name. Am I really late or really early?"

"Early, though not very. There are the men now. Commander Cody is joining us, and he's very by the book. Address him as 'sir', salute, and do all the things you usually don't do."

"I get this feeling I should resent that comment." I immediately recognize the yellow-marked armour and the unique helmet. He was at the battle where I got shot. He had told me I was too young to use guns. Him and what proof? I stand at attention when he comes up. I'm looked up and down quickly.

"You're coming?"

"Yes, sir." I answer.

"Join the other troops, then." I salute and walk quickly to the others. I don't see Fives or Tup, which means the only one here who knows me is Rex.

_Well, drat. What was I expecting? That since we all know each other we'll be assigned to fight together every time? I have start using common sense_.

A trooper bumps into me. I hop out of the way before he can trip or push against me anymore.

"What the—what's a kid doing here?" He says. This is a general reaction that I'm by now used to. I feel conspicuous with my blue marked gauntlets, size, and gender.

I'm not sure if it was a rhetorical question until he looks pointedly at me. Somehow, saying that I'm a part of the 501st Legion doesn't seem like it would fly.

"Hey, lay off. You wouldn't be asking if you saw her fight." A clone with no distinguishing marks on his armour pipes up.

"Oh, really? Did she beat you up?" Now I can step in.

"No, but plenty of dead Umbarans couldn't say differently." I say. Now I know who this clone is, the one who is defending me, at least. One of the two who helped with that 'pop quiz' a couple weeks ago.

"Alright, cut the chatter. Onto those ships, double time!" The Commander breaks in. I hurry on with the others. The ride down is shaky and I can tell someone is shooting out there. The ship jolts and I only keep my balance because I'm holding onto a handle. The pilot starts talking over the comm.

"We've been hit. Expect a rough landing." I groan inwardly. A rough landing most likely means 'brace yourself, we are going to crash, but I'm wording it differently so you don't worry'. The ship wobbles. I keep my face blank.

Unlike the others, I don't have a helmet to hide whatever I feel. That's a luxury I refuse. A helmet would slow me down and probably make it difficult to see. The deck shakes and I can feel how quickly we're descending. My ears pop. The shaking is really bad now.

"Hold on!" I hear over the comms. A second later we hit the ground. I lose my grip on the handle (to my credit) just after most of the others do. I ram against the wall, and a few troopers. As far as I can tell, the ship is rolling. I tumble around with the others until we stop. I grunt as I get up.

It's dark, but I can see enough in the emergency light. I check for vitals. Only a couple are alive: Commander Cody and the clone who was criticizing me earlier.

_Oh, great._

I check the pilots, then return to the others. I shake the Commander until he wakes up, and then the other one. When he doesn't stir, I take off his helmet and slap him. Once again, the trick somehow works. It's almost like when a machine is malfunctioning and starts working after you hit it. I hand him his helmet.

"Is anyone else alive?" Cody asks.

"No. We're the only ones left." I reply. He tries the doors.

"Blast! They're jammed." He mutters.

"The glass in the cockpit is broken. We could get out through there." I offer. Cody nods.

"Take what weapons you can carry and let's get going." I sling a sniper rifle over my shoulder along with a couple of DC-15s, stuff a DC-17 hand blaster identical to the one I already have in the spare holster on my belt, and grab a comm link.

The others straighten, wearing spare guns. I wait until they go before following. When they get out, they struggle through the small space, where I slip through quickly and easily. I don't comment on how much difficulty they had, seeing how the cockpit was my idea anyway.

We move out carefully through the gorgeous green buildings. I stay in the back, arm-blades drawn and a gun in hand. My body aches from getting knocked around, my side giving me the most grief, but I don't even insider complaining. I've been watching the buildings carefully. There is movement in the windows.

"Commander, something is in the buildings." He looks up. The farther we walk, the more sure I am that this is a trap. I've been catching flashes of smudgy yellow in many windows.

I finally can't take any more. My head swivels back and forth, I'm somehow fidgeting and walking at the same time, my finger hovers over the trigger. A loud shot rings out and chaos ensues.

The man in front of me falls over with a black hole in his back. I start towards him, but Cody barks for me to stop.

"He's dead. We gotta move." Red laser bolts are flashing everywhere. I dodge one, block another, shoot at a window where I saw a droid, and all the while running with the other clone. A shot almost hits him, narrowly dodged by a sudden burst of speed. We go down an alleyway, safe for the moment from enemy fire.

"Getting shot at is currently postponed until further movement, thank you." I mutter. We are stuck.

"The comms are useless." Cody growls. I shove him over the second I hear the blast. I twist and shoot at the droids filing into the narrow space. Only two can come at a time since the entrance is so narrow. I shoot left, the Commander shoots right, until we are once again safe...ish.

"I owe you one, kid."

"That depends on wether we live through this." I drag the nearest droid farther in and hold it up, creating a makeshift shield. It's heavy, making my arms tremble, but should do the trick. The Commander grabs one for himself.

We are shot at the second we come out, but with our backs to the building, and the droids protecting our front, we crab walk toward the Republic base. A blast nearly hits my head. The sparks sting the back of my neck as we keep moving. After a while, the shooting slows down until it stops.

I don't lose any caution, though, and continue as we had been until I'm sure we have made it far enough inside Republic territory. I dump the droid onto the ground, swing my shoulders to loosen them up, and nod in satisfaction. Didn't get shot. The droid I used however, is covered in scorch marks and riddled with dents.

"Good work, kid. You definitely know what you're doing." Cody's words make me happy, except one.

"Thank you, sir. My name's not 'kid', though."

"You have a point there. Let's hear it, then."

"It's—" I hear noise and my head snaps to the side. Some clones walk out and I sag with relief.

"Commander! Are you the only survivors?" One asks.

"Yes." They lead us back to the base, where a medic gives us a once-over, then sends us on our way. I head to the Mess Hall and am given the usual small meal that has become the norm lately. I eat it quickly, leave quickly, and end up with no where to go quickly. No sleeping quarters assigned, nowhere to rest. I'm bone-tired after going through an ambush.

"Good to see that you're alive." I whip around and find Rex standing behind me.

"Same could be said about you."

"Do you have anywhere to sleep?" I shake my head. He gestures and I follow as he walks.

"You have a talent for making me think you're dead or about to be." He has a point there.

"Because I so wanted our ship to crash." I say.

"Good point. So did you drive Cody crazy or get on his good side?"

"I think I'm on his good side. Hard to tell, though."

"Heh. I hate to say this, but wake up call is in two hours." I wince.

"Thanks for the heads up. We going for a battle?"

"Yes. You're with me and General Skywalker."

"Good to know." We reach the makeshift barrack. "I'll see you in two hours."

* * *

_A.N. ~ once again, a Buffy line was in there somewhere. Chapter Eight's appearance has a sketchy timeline. Likely sometime in the next seventeen hours. Please review, positive and negative comments..._


	8. Bringing Up The Rear

"Everybody up! Let's move it!" I consider stuffing my head under my pillow, then drag myself out of bed. I clip on my belt prior to checking my guns' charges and end up being the first of us to be ready to go, once again due to my refusal of wearing armour.

I retie my hair and stretch while I wait. I've taken after Rex's weapon choices, finding it fast and effective. I'm surprised that so many troops can slap on over a dozen pieces of armour each so quickly. We're ready to move in no time.

Skywalker joins us at the entrance, followed by Kenobi, Cody, and their men. We set out quietly at a fast jog. I keep pace with the adults, even if it pushes me to the limit. We stop at a couple of crystalline towers and divide.

I follow Rex to the top of the north tower and take out my guns. How did Fives put it? '_You're exceptionally good at hitting the droids you don't mean to shoot.'_ Yeah, that's what he said. We wait for fifteen minutes. Confusion breaks out when the marching column of droids splits up. I notice something in the other tower. Red and blue is flashing in there.

"Uh, General?" I point to the chaos. He turns on his comm and asks for a pick up on the south tower.

"Sir, we're in the north." Rex points out.

"Not for long." Anakin cuts an 'X' in the window and pushes the glass away with the Force.

"Grappling guns." He orders. Three lines are shot to the other building. My gun is too short to support me. My arm-blades can't hook on. I look around for something that could help. A pole catches my eye.

I put away my guns, run over, cut a two foot piece away, and rejoin the group. Rex gestures for me to go next. I swing the pipe up and jump over the edge. Droids on the ground shoot at me, miss, and one gets hit when I throw my pipe at it once I land. I turn to face the battle. I can hear the Jedi shouting.

"How did you get over here?" That's Obi-Wan.

"I improvised." Anakin. I take cover and start shooting. True to Fives's words, I usually do hit a droid, just not the one I was aiming for.

"Over here! We've cleared a path." I hear one of the Jedi. I back up and block bolts with my blades, covering the others until I'm the last one in the room. I jump backward, then right. The doorway provides cover. We hurry to the roof. I can hear a ship behind us.

"Everybody on!" Skywalker yells. I wait until I'm the last next to the generals before backing up and leaping to safety. A droid tries coming through the door. It is hit by several blue laser bolts at once, mine included. The Jedi jump on and we zip away. I notice Rex is holding a droid head. To be specific, a _commander_ droid head.

§ § §

"I'll ask what everyone is thinking; how did they know we were there?" I say while walking with Rex.

"I don't know. We'll get what we can from this droid's memory banks."

"Can't help there. I'm better at wrecking droids than reading them."

"You did well today. You made sure all your brothers made it to safety before getting there yourself. Go get some food and rest."

"Thanks. I'll get right on that." We split up and I go to the Mess Hall. Those who went to the battle get double rations, which sits well with me. I just finish my meal when the flustered duo of Rex and Cody appears in the door. I quickly drop off my tray and walk over.

"Tell me nothing blew up." I say before remembering that Cody isn't as flexible as Rex is.

"No. Did you see anyone just come in here?" The Captain saves me from the Commander.

"Besides you two, no. I wasn't watching the door." They exchange worried looks.

"What's going on?" I ask. This can't be good.

"Nothing. Forget about it." Instead of saying anything I let my expression speak for me. Rex can't make me give up that easily. He sighs. "Look, Twitch. We can't talk about this. You go to the barracks and get some sleep." I continue giving him looks. He's giving in. I can tell from his expression.

"That was an order, Twitch." Cody barks. I stand at attention for two seconds and walk away. I get this sneaking suspicion that if I follow them and am caught, I'm dead meat.

I lie wide awake in bed, tapping my finger against the mattress. A loud boom and vibrations get me sitting bolt upright. I jump down and run towards the air field. What I find is a burning mass where our weapons deposit was. I see Rex and Cody and hurry over.

"Well, something blew up. What happened?" I say.

"One of our men, Slick, is a traitor." Rex says before Cody can make an excuse.

"What? How can I help?" One of our brothers did this. Mixed feelings of anger, hurt, surprise, and curiosity at what the turncoat could possibly have been thinking swim inside me.

"You're with us." The Captain says, once again before the yellow armoured soldier can intervene. This earns us sour looks, but thankfully no comments. I follow them to a communications tower.

"If you were Slick, what would you do?" Rex asks. He glances up and my eyes flit to the vent. I catch a flash of movement, but act like I didn't.

"No idea. You two know him better than I do."

_I'm just here because I'm nosy and persistent._

"The south exit! He must have known we would look for him here, and went there instead." Rex says. Cody puts his gun down on the table and walks to the computer.

"You head over there. I'll see what I can find out here." I follow Rex out and stop the second the door closes, then move to the side, listening carefully.

"Hiya, Slick. Gun's empty." I run in with the Captain. I hop out of the way while the three fight, then block the entrance when the traitor makes a break for it. My arm-blades come out. He tries to dart past, but I swipe dangerously close to his head. He jumps back.

"Slick, don't make me hurt you. Give up." He tries to kick me. I take the blow, then catch his foot when he tries to pull it back. I press a blade against his knee-pit.

"I WILL hamstring you if necessary. Stand down." Cody recovers first and points his now loaded gun at Slick. Before I can blink, the traitor swings me in front of him. I hear the stun blast go off a splintered second before it hits me.

I fall over and stay down. My side pulses with my heart. I lose consciousness just when the hurried footsteps start.

§ § §

The second I wake up I realize I'm in the sickbay. I get up fast, give myself three seconds to get over the dizziness, then dodge around the medical droid. It isn't quick enough to stop me from slipping out of the door and hurrying to the barracks. Rex isn't there, so I head to the Mess Hall. Bingo. I see him sitting alone, eating. I get my food and join him.

"Twitch, how are you?" He looks tired.

"Better than when I was lying on the floor. Did you catch Slick?"

"Yes. He's in the brig." I look at him carefully.

"When's the last time you slept?"

"Been a while." He admits.

"You should probably give the barracks a visit. You can't do much if you're exhausted." He hesitates. I give him time to think as I eat. Once I finish my meal, I glance at him again. The look he's wearing means this is going to be difficult.

"I need to talk to General Skywalker." He gets up to leave. I don't stop him. Maybe the General will have more luck in convincing him than I did. If Jedi are as intuitive as they say, Anakin will have no difficulty sensing Rex's exhaustion.

I deposit my tray among the dirty ones and go back to the dormitory. I feel useless. Besides fighting, I do nothing. I can't use a computer, can't fly a ship, can't do crap. I'm starting to miss Fives' training. Story of my life.

* * *

_A.N. ~ a bit shorter than usual, but I hope the 'Slick Chapter' was good enough. Next chapter in the Christophsis arc (also the last) will be up soon. I admit I'm not good at making long-term issues. Please Review, positive and negative..._


	9. Distraction and Destruction

_A.N. ~ sorry I didn't give an estimation on this one's arrival, but here it is. I know that Torrent Company actually went to Teth after Slick, but I decided that if Lucasfilm wanted to set the movie before the episodes, then the movie was before the episodes. Enjoy!_

* * *

This is an issue. With no spare weapons, our troops are vulnerable. I finally memorized that the name of this rock is Christophsis, not that it does any good. The fact that about a thousand battle droids are coming our way doesn't help.

I make sure my guns are safely in my holsters before leaving the barrack. As usual, I'm the first one ready to go besides Rex, who thankfully _did_ come in and sleep last night. He gives me a nod before continuing to wait for the others. They come quickly.

We run outside and meet up with practically every soldier that could be spared. As I normally do when I'm stuck standing still before a battle, I shift weight from my left foot to my right, then back again repeatedly.

Then I hear it. At first it's just a quiet sound, like someone tapping on wood, then it grows into the banging of hundreds of metal feet falling in unison.

_This is not good._

Two scouts run up and speak with the Jedi before melting into our ranks.

"Okay, listen up. We've get Destroyers, regular and super battle droids, spider droids, Vulture droids, octuptarras, and tanks." Skywalker announces. That doesn't make this any better. Rex points out twelve troops, including me, and separates us from the main group.

"You are with the General. Follow him as soon as he gives the order." I occupy myself with figuring out reasons why I fidget so much. Staying still is one sometimes, or the threat of danger, like now, anxiety, not like now, anticipation, probably. The list could go on, but Skywalker is waving us forward while running ahead.

I take off after him with the others. Rex runs beside the Jedi, looking back every minute or so. We slip through the buildings, then go inside and up one to the top floor.

The second we make it, Anakin breaks a window that shows the side of the next building, then breaks the neighbouring window, creating a quick getaway. Next, he quietly cuts along the frame of the large window overlooking the street, then pushes the glass forward. He waits until the droids are below, then throws it into a group of them.

We take it as a signal and start shooting. This is a perfect place to attack from. They can't hit us because of where we are, but we can easily take them down. We rest on our stomachs and prop ourselves up with our elbows. Too easy. Of course, I spoke too soon.

Several Vulture droids take off and head straight for us. This is where Skywalker comes in. He jumps a humanly impossible distance, lands on a droid, then proceeds to dice every single one of the flying threats. He jumps back to us just as the one he was on falls.

I hear something and turn my head. A super battle droid is in the doorway. I twist onto my back and shoot it three consecutive times. It falls over. Skywalker takes immediate notice.

"Everyone to the other building." He orders. I go to the door and blast any droids that try coming through until only I remain. I shoot one more and make a dash for the windows. I jump without slowing down, safely carried across the gap by my momentum. I take a few steps to ease my landing and turn right away.

The droids are already there. I shoot one—for once the one I meant to hit—and take cover. Everyone else starts shooting. Where's the General? One of the droids tries jumping over and is shot.

"Everyone, this way!" Sounds like he made another escape route. As what is now usual, I cover everyone's backs while they run. When I back up and get to where Skywalker was yelling, he's at a smashed window, using the Force to throw men into a neighbouring building thirty feet away. He looks at me next.

I take a running start and jump. For a moment, I'm a bird, flying over the street below, then I land, rolling a couple times. Anakin jumps over with no help except that of his body and the Force. He leads us to the ground floor and we run through the streets. I hear a blast and turn to see five problems.

"We've got Destroyers!" I shout. Everyone scatters to take cover. I run in between two buildings and circle around behind the droids. I go behind the nearest one, put my gun through its shield, and shoot several times. It falls over. I proceed to do this with two more before the last ones notice.

I run back to the buildings, almost getting hit at least twenty times. They roll after me. I turn sharply and get the satisfaction of one hitting the wall. I shoot before the ray shield can protect it.

The last one starts firing. In the narrow space, I'm stuck with blocking and dodging repeatedly. Skywalker jumps on top of the circular droid's shield and sticks his lightsaber in before activating it.

"You're full of good ideas, aren't you?" He says while we jog back to the others.

"Next time, someone else can do that." I mutter to no one in particular. Honestly, I love doing stunts like that. Especially since I can do it without getting killed. Anakin clicks on his comm.

"Oddball, we're clear."

"Yes, sir. Those clankers won't know what hit them!" I try but have no memory of an 'Oddball'. A pair of bomb ships zip by overhead. I hear explosions, making a grin creep over my face. That had to be bad for the droids. Many of us are whooping and punching the air.

"All right. Let's get back to the others." The General orders. I run alongside everyone else. We make it only to encounter a heated battle. I almost curse. Our distraction and destruction run didn't work. I can see Kenobi fighting Ventress. A droid shoots at me and is rewarded by getting hit by its own laser bolt.

"Whyyyy?" It cries as it falls. When I look over my shoulder, the first thing I notice is that Skywalker isn't there. I spot him charging the assassin. I block a shot and turn to Rex.

"Orders?" I ask hopefully. I have plenty of ideas, but most of them would kill anyone who doesn't have arm-blades.

"You go with Kix and look for wounded. The rest of you are with me." I recognize Kix as the field medic back on Umbara.

"After you." I say. He runs to the nearest group of clones who are down. I stay between him and enemy fire, freeing him up to check vitals without fear of injury.

I can't believe how many droids turn their guns on us instead of the ones actually shooting them. I'm on a full time job of moving to stay in front of my charge and deflecting projectiles. I spot a tank angling towards us.

"Time to move." I shout. I grab his arm and get him running. There is a possibility that I could stop a shot from a tank with my arm-blades, but that would break my arm, kill me, send me flying, or a mixture of the three. It shoots at us and we scramble away. Another blast hits the ground at my feet. My legs go numb instantly and I fall.

_Get up. If I stay here, I die, _Survival urges.

_But my legs won't work._

_No, get up now!_ Someone jerks on my arms. A powerful bolt hits right where I had been two seconds before. This snaps me out of it. I get up and run.

"I owe you one." I yell at Kix as we dash away.

"You stopped a lot more shots from hitting me." I slow down and circle to his left before swinging us both down an alley. Here we stop to recover. As soon as I get my bearings, I peak outside. I have to duck back when several red bolts fly at my head. I take out both my guns. He does the same with his.

"We're going to have to fight our way out of here." He nods. "Ready? Now!" I jump out and swing my arm around, blocking enemy fire. I shoot the nearest droid, hop sideways, and keep at it. Kix is beside me, hitting a droid every time he shoots.

I have my hands full making sure neither of us get shot, but find myself enjoying the challenge. This is what I was born for, wether I'm a mistake or not. Not flying, or training others, or anything else. I'm at my best in the heat of battle, and that is pure fact.

We slowly make our way to some fallen soldiers. After Kix checks them with disheartening results, we move on. Our men are taking a beating, with survivors spread thin. I shoot at a super battle droid. I hit it, but there is no affect. I shoot it three more times before it falls over.

As much as I love the action, I'm sore and tired. My side has started aching, determined to get itself noticed, my legs feel like they have severe cramps when I put weight on them, and in general, I'm exhausted from constant movement. I can bet everyone else is getting tired too. Kix's body language is strained when I glance at him. Out of my peripheral vision, I spot something in the air: larties.

"Reinforcements have arrived!" Someone shouts. A pocket of energy pours strength into my tired body. I move with more agility, shoot with more accuracy. It's amazing what good news can do for you.

§ § §

With fresh troops and weapons, the battle ended quickly. Kix and I went around and checked on the wounded, everyone else searched for stray droids. Ventress had fled when our victory became inevitable, and Christophsis is now the Republic's.

But I can't sleep. I have been lying in bed for two hours with no hints of drifting off. So I go where everyone does when they can't rest.

The Mess Hall is loud, and far from empty. Mostly filled with men who probably celebrated our victory a little too vigorously.

Once again, it's double rations for those who fought. I eat my meal in a quiet corner. It disappears all too quickly. I return to my spot as soon as I drop off my tray. I notice Kix. As far as I can tell, he's drunk. Not very, though. Just enough to stagger and not go in straight lines as he walks.

I always wonder why anyone would willingly put themselves in such an incoherent and vulnerable state. But then, it must be nice to shed all your worries for a while. Not so much once the hangover comes, though.

I've never been fond of booze. I've tried a small sip before and disliked the taste. I can see men from the 501st Legion, though most aren't 'here' enough for a good conversation. I don't know any of them anyway.

I settle for just watching them socialize, friends passing bottles back and forth, some boasting about heroics during the battle, others laughing at jokes. It's a good thing we finished off the Separatist occupation. If another fight started, we wouldn't be in very good shape.

I feel a twinge of envy. This is something I can't have. I can't be treated like their sister. Can't share bonds as deeply. Heck, the only ones who know about what I really am are Rex, Skywalker, and Kenobi. No matter how other clones treat me, they don't see me as their sister.

My mood goes from bad to worse. Then I remember the one who stood up for me before we came down here, and Fives and Tup. They had no idea about who I am and still treated me normally. My emotions settle on 'content'.

This is how life goes. Maybe someday I can be translucent with my identity. I go back to the barracks and get in bed. I can feel myself drifting off the second my head touches the pillow

* * *

_A.N. ~ there's chapter nine. Chapter ten will be up sometime today. Please review, negative and positive..._


	10. Shut Up, Twitch

Back to the cruiser, back to being useless. We came on first thing in the morning a couple days ago. Fives isn't here. Off fighting somewhere else. Tup is no where to be found either.

I tap my foot impatiently, bored to tears and feeling guilty for not doing anything. The second Rex comes into the Mess, I wave him over. He grabs his food and sits down.

"What's got you so on edge?" Is his greeting.

"Literally nothing. I've got nothing useful to do." He inspects me. This makes me fidget more.

"Do you have any specialties?"

"Fighting."

"Anything else?" I think about it.

"Sarcasm. I'm at my best on the battlefield."

"I take it you never got to pilot a ship."

"Nope. That would end in a crash."

"Hmm. Strategy courses?" I shake my head.

"I think on my feet." He pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Computer training?"

"No."

"Did you learn anything before you left or afterwards?"

"How to shoot straight and use arm-blades. I got good at making quick exits." He sighs.

"You really weren't going to be a soldier, were you." It was a statement, but I still nod. "Alright. Then we'll work with what you do know. You're a fighter, make quick exits, agile, what else? Anything that you can put to good use." I take a few moments.

"I can swim quickly, um, have a high pain tolerance, pretty much all the physical advantages of a clone. I learned how to hot wire an astromech to explode." That catches his attention.

"Any other tricks?" He prods.

"Homemade bombs using alcohol, snares, booby traps. Fun things like that." He contemplates this for a minute.

"There happens to be quite a few clones who only specialize in battle. They fight, end of story." As much as that appeals to me, I have to wonder what kind of existence that would be.

"Huh. Good to know there's _something_ normal about me." I feel discouraged that fighting is the only thing I really show talent for.

"Nah, being normal would be too boring for you." That I can believe.

"You're probably right. Changing the subject, which planet are we heading to now?"

"Coruscant. Shore leave until further notice." I squirm with discomfort.

"Days with nothing to do. I'll be going insane until further notice."

_And most likely a lab appointment for me. I do not want to be on that planet. I've got to stop complaining. Whining about it won't help._

"You'll find something to occupy yourself with." He assures me. He hands over a comlink. "You should have one. Do you know how it works?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"And Commander Cody sends his apologies for accidentally shooting you on Christophsis." He adds.

"Thanks for telling me. I'm just glad he didn't shoot to kill."

"Agreed." Just then, a haggard looking Kix walks in.

"Looks like that hangover caught with him." I say, thinking aloud. Rex twists in his seat to see who I'm referring to.

"Looks like it." Rex raises a hand slightly when the medic looks around for a seat. He joins us, looking worse up close.

"Hi." He mumbles. We exchange pleasantries, talking quietly to not provoke the headache he most likely has. When Kix pinches the bridge of his nose, I smirk.

"So what have we learned about drinking today?" I ask impishly. He gives me a withering look.

"It's an evil that shouldn't be indulged." He grumbles. This gets snorts of amusement from both me and Rex. As usual, breakfast is just small enough to keep us hungry. I scowl at my empty tray, as if glaring at it will make more food appear.

"Careful, Twitch. You might set it on fire if you keep that up." Rex jokes. I forgot how potent my frowns are.

"Now, if I could make things burst into flames by glaring at them, a lot of people would spontaneously combust." We chuckle.

"Good thing you can't, then." Kix points out.

"Amen. It'd be a pain to control all the time." I agree. My voice is a little louder than I wanted and Kix winces. "Sorry. Drinking lots of water usually helps." He takes a swig from his cup. I feel a jolt and sit straighter, wary. The other two laugh.

"Relax. We're just landing. No wonder you're called 'Twitch'." Kix says.

"I'm just a little jumpy after a battle." I mutter as my cheeks heat up. I'm also going to stay jumpy for the duration of our stay.

_Crap. I don't have any credits to get food. _

The Captain's comm goes off.

"Rex, have Twitch meet me on the docks." Comes Skywalker's voice.

"Yes, sir." He turns the device off. "You catch that, Twitch?" He double checks.

"Yep. See you guys around." I drop off my tray and walk quickly to the docking bay. I scan the docks and spot Anakin standing alone with crossed arms.

"You wanted to see me, General?" I say as soon as I'm close enough. We start walking.

"Yes. You're more of a big deal than you think. Chancellor Palpatine has requested to see you." I stop abruptly.

"What? That can't be right." I regret the words as soon as they're out. Krell's cruelty is too fresh in my mind to let words come unchecked near Jedi. But my surprise isn't met with anger. Instead, he smiles.

"It is. And we're going to be late if we don't hurry, so let's keep moving." We get into a speeder. My guns' weight is comforting. I have to admit, long range weapons are nice to have on hand. Even if I generally hit targets I don't aim for.

The city is magnificent, glowing brightly and full of life. The smell leaves something to be desired, though.

We stop at a large building. I would be hopelessly lost if it weren't for Anakin. We go to a high up office. I hesitate at the door.

"Your weapons, please." A guard asks. I hand over my guns without hesitation. I'm praying fervently that I won't have to give up my gauntlets. Of course, only Skywalker is aware of the hidden blades, but he may rat me out.

"Proceed." We're waved forward. The door opens and I can see the Supreme Chancellor. He has receding white hair, a wrinkled face, bags under his eyes, and a large, sharply bent nose. He looks at me kindly. I stand at attention, which is the traditional way for a clone to greet someone who is higher ranking.

"Stand down, young one." He gently orders. I relax, but stay alert. "What's your name?"

"CT-28-3758. I usually go by Twitch." He inspects me carefully, assessing, contemplating what he's dealing with. I hate it. So far, I've given him nothing new besides my physique. My behaviour has been portrayed as any clone's. Just because I'm different doesn't mean I always act like it.

"How did that name become yours?" When I was brought here, I didn't think he'd ask things like this.

"I can't stay still, among other things." I'm fidgeting now. I try to keep the actions discrete, but now that the subject is open, I can see his eyes flick to wherever I show movement.

"I see. Those are interesting gauntlets. Where did you get them?"

_He's picking apart my past bit by bit._

"I stole them from Separatists." No one is in the room besides the three of us. That's a little strange.

"I've looked up your file. I assume that was after you left three years ago?"

"Yes, sir."

"And I've looked at your updated file as well. May I see the blades?"

_If he knew, why didn't he tell his guards?_

I let the sharp metal slide out. He runs a thumb along an edge, hovering over the blue paint.

"These markings portray your legion, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"An anomaly such as yourself shouldn't be risked on the battlefield."

"With respect, sir, that's why I left in the first place."

"Desertion isn't looked on very kindly by most, yet you left anyway?"

"I never really left the Republic, sir, just fought for it in a different way."

"That is a positive way to think about it. Well, I can't prevent you from spending your life as you please, but would you consider a visit to one of our major medical facilities?"

_I knew it. I knew he would ask me to go get poked and prodded._

My reaction must be in my expression, because he starts talking again.

"You do not have to if it is uncomfortable. I understand why you don't want to go."

_Does he, now?_

"I, uh..." I'm trying to think of a polite way to refuse.

"Just think about it. Now, if you'll excuse me." I salute, Skywalker bows. As soon as we are away from the guards, I let my emotions show on my face.

"Are you alright, young one?" I forgot Anakin was here. I decide to be open.

"No."

"What's troubling you?"

_I thought Jedi were supposed to be perceptive._

"Everywhere I go, I end up as someone's little lab rat." Frustration edges my voice.

"You heard the Chancellor. You don't have to go if you don't want to."

"It's not easy to refuse when the Grand Chancellor himself asks you personally." I catch myself and clamp my teeth together.

_Shut up, Twitch._

"So don't give him an answer. By the time all major medical facilities report that you didn't show, you'll be off planet again."

"Good plan. I wonder where you got it from."

_SHUT UP, TWITCH_, I silently yell at myself.

"Let's just say it's been tested and proven effective." I smile.

_ I'll bet it has._

I tell myself to shut up again, even if the thought was silent. I hop into the ship after he's boarded.

"Do you have credits or a place to stay and eat?" He asks. Embarrassment flares inside of me.

"No."

"Use this, then. Return it as soon as shore leave is over." He hands me a small hard drive.

"Thank you." I slip it inside a hidden chamber on my left gauntlet.

"There's a popular bar for clones in the south-east corner of town. 79's. You're a little young to be drinking, but it's known as a socializing point for troops on shore leave. You'll probably find someone you know there."

"Thanks for telling me. I'll give it a visit."

"Are you going there right now, or later?"

"I'm probably going now. Got nothing else to do. How far is it?"

"Seven miles, give or take. I'll drop you off."

"Are you sure? I could walk." Jedi aren't here for chaperoning.

"You're not the only one with time to spare. It's only a few minutes."

"Alright. Thank you, sir." The wind teasing my hair feels good, the night air sweet after so long on a cruiser. True to the General's words, we get there in five minutes.

"Thanks for the ride." I say.

"Any time. Enjoy yourself." He zips off as soon as I'm on the platform. A group of extremely drunk soldiers are guzzling from bottles nearby, courting disaster and gravity near the edge. They laugh loudly at nothing in particular. I promise myself that I'll never, _EVER_ get drunk.

Inside the building, lights flash and music plays, barely heard over the racket. A few clones are in very close quarters with women. I am so glad most everyone is too out of it or busy with their drinks to notice me. If I thought I was conspicuous in the mess halls, I hate thinking about now.

I look for anyone recognizable. A bald head with lightning bolts shaved into the short hair catches my eye. Kix. He looks alert enough to talk to. I join him.

"About that evil that shouldn't be indulged." I say when he knocks back a shot.

"You're probably right. Save the teasing for after the hangover."

"Yes, sir." I have to wonder if the others secretly think of me as a tag along and simply tolerate my presence. If so, they hide it very well.

"Seen any other familiar faces?" It's kind of a joke to us since all clones, me aside, have the same features.

"Fives and Tup were here. Not sure if they still are."

"Thanks for telling me. I'll spare you more of my rambling and look for them."

"Alright, then." I weave around; it's crowded in here. I finally notice the very sober Tup and Fives. They don't say anything, just sip from the cups in their hands. I smile. No one can cheer me up like those two.

Fives sees me first. He tips his head back to ask me over without words. I am about to move when a couple of laughing men walk in front of me. When I finally maneuver my way to them, I notice that they still look rather serious.

"Something went very wrong." I say when no one says anything.

"Yeah, something went wrong." Tup's usual cheer is gone.

"What happened?" I haven't seen these two so glum since Umbara.

"Nothing." Fives answers dejectedly. I start wearing him down with looks until Tup breaks in.

"Echo was reassigned. Not going to see him for a while. He's a friend of ours. You don't know him." From the way Fives's expression darkens, I can guess he's closer to Echo than Tup is.

"Sorry to hear that." They both grunt halfheartedly. "If it would make you feel better, we could always build an obstacle course." I point out. Unfortunately, I don't have Tup's talent for cheering people up. They try smiling, but it ends in grimaces.

_Shut up, Twitch._

I stay quiet, knowing when talk has no chance to help. My discomfort at my friends' unhappiness gets my hand tapping. A peeved looking Trandoshan stalks to the counter. I watch as he rudely shoulders Kix aside and growls at the bartender.

The medic tries to get his spot back and the reptile shoves him. I shift and take a step forward, waiting to see what their next move will be. They exchange most likely harsh words. The scaly intruder snaps something at Kix in his own language.

The two words I understand from listening in off world bars gets my blood boiling. I start towards them. I can sense Fives and Tup following. The Trandoshan suddenly grabs Kix's head and smacks it against the counter.

That snaps the last of my tolerance. I shove past anyone in my way and tap his shoulder. The reptile turns right into my punch. He hisses and lets the field medic go. My still healing knuckles are bleeding, but I'm too furious to notice.

"Say that to my face." I order him.

"Jetar madle." He growls, moving so our faces are centimetres apart. "Now what are you going to do about it, little girl?" His tongue flicks out. I smile.

"Nothing. I just wanted to distract you so they could get behind you." He whips around, only to get hit by the closed fists of Fives and Tup simultaneously. He falls back towards me, but gets another blow out of it. Now I'm starting to feel the pain in my hand.

He stands, towering over us before grabbing my neck, only to pull away when my arm-blade cut his wrist open. Kix has recovered and grabs one large arm. Fives and Tup get ahold of the other.

I move to help the medic, but this gator isn't going to give up. He closes his mouth over my shoulder, biting down hard. I yell in pain as he tosses me several feet away with nothing but the strength of his neck. I land at the feet of another 501st soldier. He bends down, clearly sober.

"Stop the lizard." I order. My left shoulder is bleeding in at least a dozen places where teeth punctured my skin. He jumps over me as I get up. They manage to get the Trandoshan's arms, but he's thrashing like a cornered animal.

Other clones are joining in, until the reptile can't move unless they let him. We get him on the platform, where he's let go. I keep my arm-blades out. The Trandoshan hisses at us one more time before stalking away.

"I hate wildlife." The 501st soldier who had checked on me growls.

"Hear, hear." I mutter. Kix looks my shoulder over.

"You're going to want some antibiotics on that." He says. "And a bandage."

"I'll do that." I promise. We go back in, our group consisting of me, Fives, Tup, Kix, and the other Legion member.

"Good to see you, Jesse." Kix says. Jesse has an Emblem tattoo over the left side of his head and face.

"Likewise. How is it I always find you in the middle of a fight?"

"Because you only find me when there _is_ a fight." The bartender looks ruffled from his encounter with the Trandoshan when I get his attention.

"You're too young to be drinking." The 'tender says snappily.

"I'm not going to be drinking it." I say, pointing at my bloody shoulder. He looks at me distrustfully, deciding wether to believe me or not.

"Hey, she won't drink anything. I'll keep an eye on her." Tup says. I'm handed a cup and I take a couple of napkins, moving to a less crowded corner. I wet the napkins and dab them against the wound, biting my cheek from the sting. Once I've washed away and cleaned my shoulder, I rejoin the group.

"Bandages will have to come later. " Kix says, critically examining my work.

"I'll get some more napkins." I start towards them, but he stops me.

"They're more likely to get your cuts infected than if you don't use them. You just have to wait until you can get some real ones."

"Okay, then." I'm having difficulty determining the overall mood of our group. Jesse and Kix seem happy, most likely old friends, Fives is still quiet, though not as sullen anymore, while Tup has a look in his eyes that's asking for more action. Me, well, I'm just tired. I haven't slept much lately.

"I'm going to call it a night. I'll see you guys later." I say.

"You know where you're going?" Fives double checks.

"Yeah." I say, intending to return to the Resolute. There are muttered goodbyes before I leave. As soon as I'm outside, I look for a way further into the centre of the city. I want to explore before going to bed.

I walk away on a glass side path. Every time I look down, I can see the fifty foot drop below. I love the sensation. I get a strange feeling and look over my shoulder. No one is there, which in this city, is strange.

My fingers drum against my legs as I walk. A couple miles further along, I hear something off. It's coming from an alleyway I'm standing next to. I let my arm-blades come out as I walk in. This is screaming 'trap' to me, but I tell myself it's paranoia.

Further inside, I can hear a groan. But there's something in that groan that is way too familiar. That sound came from the throat of a clone. I walk swiftly around a corner and spot a figure lying on the ground.

Beneath all the blood on his face, I can see the familiar brown eyes and firm mouth. Suddenly, the area we're in is lit up by multiple flashlights.

_Stupid. I am so stupid. I forgot that my paranoia has kept me alive for the past ten months._

The large Trandoshan steps forward. He gives the clone a hard kick, sending him closer to me. I can see now that closely cut, yellow hair adorns his head. Rex.

"You'll pay for that." I growl.

"I was hoping you would show. After all, the price on your head is a pretty one." I step over Rex, barricading myself between him and the reptile.

"Guess what. It's a good thing you can regrow your limbs." I'm seething right now. He shoots at me with a gun I hadn't noticed. I send the laser bolt at his head, but leans to the side, dodging the deadly projectile.

"It's too bad for you yours don't."

"Who put a bounty on my head?" I demand. He lunges at me. I crouch and jump at his stomach, blades angled out. He howls and grabs my neck, throwing me at a wall. My side and left shoulder start hurting. I'm about to attack again when he aims his gun at the Captain. I freeze.

"You Republic scum are so predictable. On your knees, or the fake Fett dies."

_I swear, he's going to lose his tongue._

I kneel, putting my hands on my head. He circles behind me.

"Jetar madle." I spit. A hard blow knocks me over.

_Shut up, Twitch._

* * *

_A.N. ~ Chapter Eleven might be a while. That thing called 'sleep' is apparently necessary to my functionality. I might k'atini and post Eleven in the next couple hours or so, but no promises. As always, negative and positive reviews, please. I want to hear your opinions and ideas so I know if there are things I should change or missed._


	11. Chase

The second I'm awake, I notice how light my arms are. And how tightly bound they've been. Across from me is a still bloody Rex, gagged and bound like I am. He's conscious, but clearly in pain.

Once I'm on my knees, my headache starts. My left shoulder is oozing blood, but thankfully my side doesn't hurt. I give the Captain a reassuring look. Using my tongue and teeth, I slowly work my gag loose until it's out of my mouth.

Next, I turn my attention to my hands. Cuffs are around them. I sit and wiggle until my hands are in front of me. I look around the room for anything I could use as a weapon. Nothing. I settle for taking the gag off of Rex's head, and mine as well. I look his bonds over.

_Not a chance I can get these off without a key or tool._

"Your shoulder." He whispers.

"I know. That was before the alley. Ideas?" I've been racking my brain. He gets his hands in front of him.

"Fighting is our only option so far."

"It took half a dozen men to keep him down at 79's. No way we could beat him with our hands tied." The door opens. Our reptilian captor grabs the back of my neck and drags me away from Rex. I kick and struggle, but he's way too strong. He throws me against the wall.

"You _are_ a slippery one, aren't you?" Rex kicks him in the head. I get up and lock my hands together, using them as a club. i only get in a couple blows before he backhands my face, knocking me over, and I watch as he holds the Captain up by his neck.

"The only reason I don't kill you," he hisses, tongue flicking out, "is because the brat won't try anything if I hold a gun to your head." He throws Rex down and stalks out. Once I can get up myself, I hurry over to the older prisoner.

"I'll spare you the 'I told you so'. If I gave you a boost, you could fit in those vents, right?" He looks up.

"Worth a try." He mutters. "You should go instead. Less likely to get stuck."

"And more likely to get you killed. You heard him. With you gone, I'll be able to give him as much trouble as possible without your neck on the line."

"But—"

"If I go, he'll kill you. Now shut up and climb." I would never say the last part unless I was scared, and from his look, he knows it. I do my best to give him a stable support as he removes the grate. Once he's up, I hand back the metal. He places it carefully.

"I'll be back soon." He promises, then he's gone. I can hear shuffling outside and lean against the door. After a short struggle, me refusing the Trandoshan entrance, he finally gets in.

"Where is the other prisoner?" He roars.

"You expect me to answer that?" I kick him in the neck, hitting the most sensitive area next to his groin. He puts a hand on my left shoulder and squeezes as hard as he can. I screech as his claws dig into the tender flesh. He coughs, then growls.

"You better tell me where he is." He twists harder. I yell, but the last thing thing I'll be doing is tell him anything.

§ § §

REX'S P.O.V.

I squirm along the vents, taking care to be quiet. A young girl's screaming is echoing around me. I almost turn back, but I know she had been right. If I stayed, the Trandoshan would have killed me.

_General Skywalker will help. He'll be able to help her._

I look out a vent-cover and see the glowing lights of the city.

_Plenty of people outside. Maybe..._

I kick the grill until it comes loose, then exit. The second I'm on the ground I start running toward the docks. People shout and squeal as I push past them.

_This is going to take too long. It's miles to where the cruiser landed._

I see a cab and get in.

"Western docks." I say hurriedly.

"You got it, buddy." He is thankfully not a slow driver, but slow enough to make my foot tap.

"You get into a fight or something?" He asks.

"Or something. Is there any faster way?" The blood on my face is painfully noticeable. The second we get there, I hop out.

"Hey, what about payment?" He yells.

"Charge it to the Republic." I shout. I'm running around, looking for anyone who might know where I can find the General. I spot Cody.

"Commander!" I call.

"What happened?" My friend looks at the blood coating my head in shock.

"No time to explain. Where's General Skywalker?" He must hear the urgency in my voice, because he answers quickly.

"On the ship, engine room."

"Thank you." I dash headlong through the corridors. I almost collide with the General as I enter the room.

"General Skywalker." I gasp.

"Rex! What happened?" He asks while drawing his lightsaber. He cuts my cuffs off and I rub my wrists.

"I was attacked by a Trandoshan bounty hunter. He has Twitch." The look Skywalker always wears when something urgent comes up covers his face. He thinks it through.

"Get your armour and weapons, then meet me on the docks." I salute and hurry to my quarters. I throw on the pieces quickly, but take care to be sure they're on properly, then get my guns.

I wet a cloth and roughly wipe my face a couple times to clean the blood away before running out. I'm on the docks and looking around in a few minutes, waiting for the General. He appears, followed by five troops.

"You remember where you were held?" He asks.

"Yes, sir." I rattle off the coordinates.

"Let's move, men. Double time!" Skywalker orders. We get into a transport ship and I look back on the past half hour.

_Since when am I frantic in a crisis? That wasn't like me._

Just as we land, I realize I acted the way I did because I was worried for Twitch. I had been surprised when she started introducing herself with the nickname I had given her, and impressed with her level-headedness in battle.

"Surround the building." The General orders. "Rex, you're with me."

"Yes, sir."

_This is definitely the right place._

We go to the door. It's locked, but after a couple swings of Skywalker's lightsaber, we're in. I lead the way from there.

When we open the room we had been in, I'm crestfallen to find that it's empty. The only thing I can see that's different are the scarlet marks on the floor. I look at them carefully.

"Sir, the Trandoshan said there was a bounty on Twitch." I say after we are done in the room.

"Then we better start doing a little research."

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

With every movement, pain pulses through my body. I'm securely bound, but lack the strength to try anything. All I can do is wait for the inevitable drop off to whomever placed that bounty on my head.

My shoulder is burning, surely infected by now. My head turns left slightly as the ship moves. My eyes flicker open for a moment before closing again.

_I can't believe I've given up this easily. I used to take twice as much injury before even considering not rebelling!_

I rouse myself and look around for anything that could help. Not a thing I could reach. I pull at my restraints, but they don't budge.

The lizard comes over, gruffly pushing my head to the side and shoving a needle into my neck. I start losing consciousness immediately.

§ § §

REX'S P.O.V.

"Of course." I hear the General mutter. When I look over, he's face palming himself.

"Sir?" I ask hesitantly.

"I gave her my credit chip and she hid it in her gauntlet. I can track her." Hope springs inside of me, but I don't allow it much room. I've learned that false hope is twice as hard to lose as regular hope.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

The second I wake up I'm thrashing around, doing everything humanly possible to get out of my bindings. Standing over me is a face I hoped to never see again.

"It's been a long time, young one." He says. I glare at him, still pulling at the ropes holding me in place. He strokes his beard, watching me. "You are not going to break those restraints, so you might as well save your strength." I hate to admit it, but what he says, for once, is true. I can't break these bindings, and I will most likely require my strength for whatever he plans on doing to me. Once I go limp, he clasps his hands together. "There, now. That wasn't so hard, was it?" I stay sitting, wrists sore from chaffing against the rough material. My shoulder is clean, though not bandaged. "Now, I will ask politely, what do you know of the Republic and its secrets?"

"You didn't get anything out of me last time, it won't change now. Torture was ineffective. Spare yourself the trouble and kill me now." I point out.

"Do not tempt me, child."

"Whatever you say, Count."

§ § §

REX'S P.O.V.

"Got it!" Skywalker crows. I look at the screen.

"Trailun? That's on the edge of wild space." I mutter.

"And where better to take someone you don't want found than wild space?" I nod in agreement.

"This may be a trap." I say cautiously. Despite how much I want to find Twitch, years of experience tell me to be careful.

"That's a good point. I'll send a scout to check for enemy ships."

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

"Aeyeaaa!" My throat is raw from loud noises like that scream.

"Just tell me whatever secrets are rattling around in your head and the pain will stop."

"Most likely because you'll kill me." I retort insolently.

"Strange how earlier, when you weren't in pain, you asked for death. Now you defy it."

"Earlier, I wasn't as determined to be stubborn." Another shock of lightning courses through my body. I cry out again, howling from the soreness it brings and the feeling of electricity beating me inside and out. Now that I'm really being tortured again, my body has switched on its pain resistance. Meaning I'll be conscious for a while...

§ § §

REX'S P.O.V.

Four days. I can't believe Twitch has been gone for four days. Now that the scout has reported in, we are clear to go. The jump to lightspeed is barely noticeable.

Fives and Tup, both with smouldering eyes, had joined us just before takeoff. It looks like I'm not the only one who's become fond of the young girl.

§ § §

FIVES' P.O.V.

"Dead. That's what whoever has her is going to be. Dead!" I rant.

"Easy, Fives. We'll get Twitch back. Let the General handle the captor." Tup reassures me. I take a few breathes and try to calm down. Anger bubbles through me. The thought of my smart mouthed friend tied up doesn't fit in my mind. She is too free spirited to be bound, and probably sarcastic enough to get hurt.

"Hhh. Your right. She's probably set them on fire with that glare by now." I sigh.

"That, or talked them to death."

"She doesn't talk _that_ much. She knows when to keep her mouth closed."

_I can't lose her so soon after Umbara. I can't._

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

Three hours without torture. He's gotten more patience. Or he's making sure I don't black out just yet. Something is injected in my arm. A couple minutes later, I hear scuffling. I look up to see Rex, tied and gagged, on his knees in front of Dooku. I strain towards them, but it's no use.

"Tell me what I want to know, or he dies." The Count demands softly. I reign in my emotions.

"He'll be dead wether I tell you or not." I point out. When I lock eyes with the Captain, he shakes his head, strengthening my resolve to not speak. Before I can blink, a lightsaber goes through my friend's chest. A furious wail escapes my lips.

Next, Tup is brought in. He struggles, but is pushed down. I refuse after being asked and watch as he his killed. Fives comes and dies after that, followed by Kix and Jesse.

I want to cry, but will not give Dooku the satisfaction of knowing how badly he has hurt me. I'm starting to lose all hope when I remember that I was injected.

"You'll have to do better than hallucinations, old man!" I shout angrily. A roar of frustration tears through the room before a hard blow to my head knocks me over. I lie there, laughing at how the great Count Dooku is being foiled by a child.

§ § §

REX'S P.O.V.

"Approaching Trailun now, sir." I report.

"Good work, Rex. Prepare the men." I salute and hurry off to the barracks.

"Everybody up, let's go!" I shout, banging my helmet against the doorframe to add to the noise. The frenzied action of the troops seems somehow controlled, the quick movements all confined to every troopers' own space. As soon as everyone is ready, I brief them.

"We're going down to an uncontrolled planet. One of our own troops is down there, and we are likely facing Separatist forces to get her back. We are taking off in one hour." They all stand at attention, say 'yes, sir' and go on their way. I spot Fives and Tup moving along with them towards the Mess Hall.

_Those two will probably do half the fighting for us._

* * *

_A.N. ~ sorry Chapter Eleven took so long. I'm afraid Chapter Twelve will be a little while, too. I would immensely appreciate hearing your opinions, negative or positive._


	12. Toy Pandas

_A.N. ~ sorry it took so long to get this one up. A guest pointed out in a review a very valid point. THANK YOU. You have set in motion something that will come to pass, and I look forward to it._

* * *

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

My body finally clued in that I wanted it to shut down, so I'm currently lying on the floor, so weak that I might as well be unconscious.

"Just tell me any secrets you know." Dooku almost yells. I shake my head, though it requires great effort. Another kick on my side. Ow. He's been kicking me for hours.

"What makes you think they would tell a kid anything important? What if I don't know anything?" I grunt.

"You were fighting with the 501st Legion. Meaning you are an elite warrior who is more than likely to know something, on top of the fact that you. Are. A. Clone."

"Well good for you for piecing that together. Collect your toy panda at the door." I get kicked in the shoulder this time. My sore one. "Ou-ouch." I say while chuckling. "How sad you Siths must be if you have to torture children to get any decent information these days." He kicks me again.

"The young one is right, you know." That voice is music to my ears. Skywalker steps out.

"Dooku, if this is another hallucination, I swear I'm going to skin you alive." I say.

"It's not a hallucination, Twitch." Anakin assures me.

_He's right. I didn't tell Dooku my nickname. Wait, that doesn't have anything to do with it. Well, my brain is fried after all that lightning._

The Count points his drawn lightsaber at me.

"Try anything, and the girl dies." I roll my eyes. I cut my bindings and dive away in less than five seconds. I shrug as they both stare at me.

"Proceed." I say. My shoulder begins bleeding. I try standing while the two fight, but topple over again. I forgot how weak my body is after all that torture. The Jedi and Sith have ended up outside the room.

Someone comes in through the door Skywalker had appeared at. I expect one of Dooku's servants, but then, Dooku's servants don't drop two white, blue-highlighted gauntlets in front of you. I look up and see Fives.

"Twitch, can you walk?" I fasten on my weapons and stand up again. He catches me when my legs give out and supports me as we hurry. We rejoin some other clones. This is a sight for sore eyes.

Rex and Tup come over, but everyone is shooed away by Kix. For once, I don't cringe with suspicion as he injects me. As soon as the medic wraps my shoulder up in bandages, Rex starts asking questions.

"Where's the General?"

"Fighting Dooku. I'm not sure where they are exactly." He looks worried. I know what he's thinking.

"Captain, you'll be sliced in half before you could blink. Trust me, you don't want to try it." He sighs in exasperation.

"How is it you always know what's going on in my head?"

"I'm a Jedi in disguise." I act as though I'm serious, but smile in a few seconds. Shooting breaks out. Fives gets me to cover and gives me a spare gun.

"This is familiar on multiple accounts." I grunt while shooting a droid I hadn't been aiming at.

"You meant to hit that one?" He asks.

"Nope, but I still hit one."

"Then collect your toy panda at the door."

"How long were you two watching me get beaten to a pulp?" We are outnumbered. This doesn't look good. They've killed a lot of us.

"Long enough for me to almost shoot Dooku." I observe the battlefield.

"Wanna do something crazy and helpful?" I ask.

"This'll be good. You've got a plan?"

"Depends on how many droid poppers and grenades you have."

"Five each."

"See that balcony over there?" I ask, pointing it out. "Y'know, the one overlooking the droids?" He nods.

"Stay here and don't get shot." A few minutes later, major damage is inflicted upon the droid ranks. The few that are left get shot down. A hand on my shoulder makes me jump.

"Sorry, young one."

"General, if you wanted me dead, you could've just left me with Dooku."

"Nah. We aren't _that_ cruel." He says while Fives rejoins us. Skywalker raises his voice. "Alright, men. We're heading home."

§ § §

"So, you're a, uh...clone." Fives says hesitantly. We are sitting in the Mess Hall, on our way back to Coruscant.

"A little louder? I don't think everyone heard you." I've been in a bad mood all day. Most likely due to the fact that I didn't sleep at all last night.

"Sorry. But…it's true?" I can see a shadow of hurt in his eyes.

"Yes, it is. I'm sorry I never told you, but it's just something that should be kept quiet." The excuse doesn't work, but he stops pushing the subject.

I eat my meal hastily, still hungry from so little food during my imprisonment. This isn't exactly the happy reunion I'd been hoping for. I see Tup walk in. He joins us without an invitation.

"I can see everyone is perfectly miserable." He says, reciting words from Umbara.

"Do share what's got you in such a good mood." I beat Fives to his own line.

"Well, we got you back and didn't get killed, right?" He has a point there. But how many men got killed trying to save me?

"We could always build an obstacle course." Fives finally gets in his phrase, even if he hadn't invented it.

"Do we have the materials?" I ask, keeping a serious face just long enough to see their reactions before grinning.

"Twitch?"

"Tup?"

"Toughen up." I reach across the table and punch his arm. Split knuckles once again begin to bleed, but we're all laughing too hard to care. One more line from Umbara. Come on, one more.

"You guys have this talent for the impossible task of cheering me up." I say.

"It's a full time job, but worth it." Fives says.

"Aw, thanks."

"You know, _he_ was almost punching trees when he heard about what happened." Tup says, pointing at the ARC trooper with his fork.

"And you weren't?" Fives says, going on the defensive.

"I hid it better." Tup points out. While they start into a good natured argument, I finish eating and listen to the squabbling. It is so good to be back.

§ § §

I do not like being back on Coruscant. There is not enough to do and I'm practically running circles in my hotel room. I need a good fight with some droids, maybe a few rocket launchers aimed at my head.

My left shoulder reminds me that I'm still healing from my last go.

_I don't care, I don't care, I don't care. I've got to do something before I explode with energy._

I pace my room.

_Gotta do something. I hate shore leave. This is the real battle. Fighting is my shore leave._

My hands drum against my legs while I walk.

_Something to do, please, anything. I'll take a bar fight at this point. I haven't been to 79's since the Trandoshan. I could go there. And it's a five mile walk, so I can exert energy._

I leave immediately enjoying the early afternoon sunlight. As soon as I enter the building, I know that the walk wasn't enough. I return to the platform, bored. The only time I feel alive is when I'm in danger. Or having a lighthearted chat with Fives and Tup in the mess hall.

I tap my foot anxiously. Nothing to do! Two hands jab my back and a loud noise comes from behind me. I yelp and jump at least five inches off the ground. Laughing starts behind me. I whirl around and see Rex chuckling so hard that he's doubled over.

"Rex! Do you know how quickly I could have cut your head off? In two seconds, that's how fast! And then you would be dead! And you still find this extremely funny." He's trying to contain his amusement. He talks between fits of laughter.

"I—I'm sorry. You were just—hahaha you we standing there like a coiled spring and—" Whatever he was going to say is lost in another laugh.

"You're hopeless. Your downfall will be the day you startle me too much." He's stopped laughing, but a grin is tugging at his lips.

"I trust you to not kill me. Sort of. Why are you so tense anyway?"

"Hmm, let me think. Was it when a ticked off Trandoshan beat you to a pulp, or when it bit me, or when he handed me over to a Sith. One of those times got me a little concerned. Or is it just that there is nothing to do?" He smiles.

"Must be the last one. You enjoyed the first three way too much." Now I laugh.

"Sure I did. Last one qualifies, though." He sighs.

"We're on shore leave. We aren't supposed do anything."

"My shore leave is on the battlefield." He backs up a couple steps. I blink. "What?"

"I'm just trying to make sure I'm not hit by any shrapnel when you explode." I smirk and take a threatening step towards him. He backs up again and teeters on the edge of the platform.

"So, poke you or leave you. Hmm..." I say, taking my time. I end up poking him, but grabbing his arm a split second later.

"If you _ever_ do that again I'll extend your shore leave." He threatens. I pull him farther on with exaggerated speed.

"_Anything_ but that." I beg.

"Then drop and give me twenty!" He yells in full drill sergeant mode, then laughs when I actually do it.

"Excruciating punishment carried out, sir. I very well may die of boredom."

"You really are one thousand percent fighter." He says.

"And the last five percent of me is sarcastic and playful." I add.

"We may need to work on your math." I fall over.

"If there is anything _possibly_ more boring than shore leave, it's math." I groan, then hop up again.

"How would you know?"

"Fives. That's how I know. We weren't _always_ shooting stuff and doing hand-to-hand combat." We walk into the bar. I watch suspiciously as the Captain sips from a glass. I'm not completely sure what his alcohol tolerance is. After the billionth time I glance in his direction, he rolls his eyes.

"Twitch?"

"Yeah?"

"It's water." I look straight ahead for a few seconds and start laughing.

"Now I feel particularly stupid." I say.

"Nah, just paranoid."

"Paranoia is a very good thing to have." I point out.

"Since when?" He challenges.

"Since the first time I ignored it in eleven months was in a certain alleyway. Remember how that ended?" He scowls.

"I had to crawl through a dusty vent and chase your rear end from here to the Outer Rim. Wasn't so bad."

"Not bad at all." I agree, a grin creeping over my face.

* * *

A.N. ~ Chapter Thirteen's appearance is sketchy, but I'll get it up sometime in the next 48 hours. Please review, negative and positive and anything of the sort...


	13. Back Bunk

_A.N. ~ heyo! I'm just saying hi, and really, I'm blank on what to write for now, sooo...ciao!_

* * *

_Yes! Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes! Shore leave is over! The boredom is done and I can go get shot at again! _I cheer in my head.

I went to our cruiser the second I heard it over the comm Rex had given me. Now I'm helping a troop lug a crate onto the ship, my energy making up for my size. As soon as the box is on, I go back and help with another.

Even when my limbs shake and my hair is matted in sweat, energy pours through my veins and keeps me moving. Though, I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up.

§ § §

REX'S P.O.V.

"How long has she exactly been doing that for?" I ask Cody.

"About an half an hour. twenty six crates so far. You sure she's human?" The Commander replies.

"Some days I wonder."

"Rex, maybe you should tell her to stop?" He breaks me out of my thoughts.

"I'll go do that."

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I've unloaded my billionth box when I notice Rex coming over.

"Okay, that's enough hauling for now." He orders briskly.

"But I can still help." I protest.

"Twitch, that was your twenty seventh crate and you've been at this for half an hour. Take a brake." I grumble under my breath, but nod. The second I'm sitting down, I realize that _maybe_ I might be a little tired.

I watch as the last of our supplies are loaded. I follow as everyone starts getting on. My stomach growls, reminding me that I haven't eaten breakfast. I was too busy getting here and speeding up our progress for food.

I go to the Mess Hall and get a big fat plate of nothing. Apparently, breakfast was on Coruscant with no questions asked. I disappointedly walk to the Torrent Company's barracks to establish my bed spot. My bunk is in the back of the room with all the other rookies, though I resent it.

My mouth stays shut as I quickly memorize where my bed is, leaving my belt with its two holsters secure with my guns to keep it from being claimed by someone else. I go to the main docking bay.

I have to get the credit chip General Skywalker gave me back to him. I spot the Jedi working on a transport ship, tinkering with its inner works. I wait quietly until he turns around, then stand as though my back is made of wood.

"At ease. What do you need, Twitch?" He sounds tired.

"I wanted to return this. Thanks for lending it to me, sir." I take out the credit chip and hand it to him.

"Your welcome. Do you have anything to do?" I shake my head.

"Not until tomorrow. Anything I can help with?"

"How good are you with machines?"

"Not good, sir. I can hardware astromechs to explode, though." The General's droid lets out a few nervous sounds.

"Huh. And here I thought I was the only one." The blue marked machine shakes a little. "Alright. Well, you can go help those men move the crates around." He points to some clones managing the large boxes brought on before takeoff.

"Thank you, General." I hurry over and pair up with the nearest soldier. We lift a heavy cube and I let him lead it over to a stack of them. The second we finish that one, we move on.

After twelve crates, he leans against a stack of them to catch his breath. I just go to another box and help the person dragging it. My energy rush from earlier isn't there anymore, though, so I end up resting after the next two.

As soon as I get the feeling I'm rested, I get up and keep helping. As usual, I have zero idea of where we are going. Which I don't mind, as long as wherever we end up is a battle. I notice another Jedi is here; a Nautolan.

_Would be nice knowing his name._

I focus on my work, but watch him out of the corner of my eye. I would love having eyes in the back of my head. I hate not seeing what's going on behind me.

§ § §

"Alright boys, go for lunch and come back afterward." Someone orders. I have been waiting for those words for three hours. I force myself to walk, but quickly. As soon as I'm in the Mess Hall, I get in line.

I'm severely disappointed to see that the rations are still small. I go to an empty, out of the way table to eat. Once I finish the food, I return to the docking bay. By dinner, I'm sore and stiff from bending over and lugging heavy crates.

I spot, to my relief, a good number of 501st men that I know. I can see Rex, Fives, Tup, and Kix. I don't know the last of them as well as I'd like, but that's something only time can fix.

Once I've gotten my dinner, I hesitate, unsure if I'm welcome or if the older men are talking. This gets me silent invitations from three of them. I walk over and sit next to Tup.

Kix looks at my shoulder from across the table. The wounds are no longer bandaged, but he returns to his meal, wordlessly stating that I'm fine. No one is talking, which I find strange when Fives and Tup are at the same table.

I don't risk breaking the silence, just observe everyone else while eating. Rex is calm, steady as ever. Kix and Tup occasionally looking worriedly at the clock over the door, while Fives starts stealing my right to my nickname.

Overly calm captain plus a twitchy soldier plus two more troops looking at clock equals me knowing our destination is a battle. Good. But I forgot to factor in that the others look worried, which isn't normal for the three I know well. They enjoy fighting. I finally get a good enough picture to speak.

"Okay, we're going to a battle." Nods from everyone. "What about this battle is so bad?"

"What makes you think it's bad?" Tup asks.

"You didn't say 'nothing', no one is talking, and for once, you guys don't look happy about some action." I rattle off the list so quickly I can't be sure I actually said it. They're making me tense. My foot starts tapping quietly.

"You are way too perceptive." Rex says.

"And just paranoid enough not to get killed." I add.

"We're going to Krovell. It's an extremely inhospitable planet, and controlled by Separatists to boot." Fives answers.

"It's wildlife doesn't match Umbara's, though, right?" I ask hopefully.

"No, it doesn't. It's worse." The ARC replies. That makes my heart beat quickly. Not much is worse than a planet where even the plants want to eat you.

"How, exactly, is the wildlife worse?" I ask.

"Almost everything is poisonous, and everything wants you dead." Kix says. It's worse.

"Sounds fun." I mutter. Fives sighs, a smile playing on his lips.

"You're starting to sound like Hardcase." I remember him. He was the renegade pilot who didn't come back on Umbara. And the one who helped me out from under a tree.

"I don't have a big enough gun." I point out.

"Lucky for us." Tup jokes.

"Why? I never hit the target I aim for." It implies that I have bad aim, but also that I still hit something. It is definitely not the worst line I've said. After we're quiet for a while, Kix speaks.

"I'm pretty sure I don't want to hear the answer, but what does 'jetar madle' mean anyway?" I think back to the bar.

"You don't want to hear it. It'll just make you angry at a lizard." He tries wearing me down with looks, something that usually is my trick for getting information. It doesn't work, but I humour him so he'll stop. "Fine, fine. It's Trandoshan for 'meat maggot'." He scowls.

"How'd you know that anyway?"

"Most of the bits of languages that I know I learned in bars. Drunk aliens tend to have loose tongues." I get weird looks from Tup and Kix. The two who don't know about my past all too well.

"I bet anyone who got loose tongued with you lost their tongues." Fives saves me. I cock an eyebrow at him and wear a bewildered expression.

"_How_, could you _possibly_ know about that?" This time I'm not joking. I've be-tongued an alien before. His face becomes surprised.

"You aren't joking?" I shake my head.

"I'm never teasing you again." Tup says.

"He wasn't teasing me. It was more along the lines of...well, I won't get into the details. Let's just leave it at he's lucky it wasn't his neck."

* * *

_A.N. ~ Chapter Fourteen within the next 48 hours. I'm still lacking in the word department, so I'll leave off on please review, negatively or positively._

_P.S. ~ Krovell pronounced: CROW-vell (vell rhymes with bell)_


	14. Jog My Memory

_A.N. ~ hmm, what new mess has Twitch and the 501st gotten into now?_

* * *

_Ow. Why is my head wet? Why is my head hurting?_

My eyes fly open. Someone lets go of me as I start squirming so I can begin treading water.

_What am I doing in an escape pod, and why is it filled with water?_

I dive down to check vitals, but there are no bodies. I surface and see that several other troops are here. Rex, Jesse, Fives, Tup, and Kix.

"What the heck happened?" I ask.

"What does it look like?" Tup answers. That wasn't what I meant. I was asking what happened as in I don't remember anything after having dinner with them. I dive and look at the exit. Sealed yet leaking. We aren't too deep yet.

"I'm going to try cutting the glass." I warn everyone. My guns and gauntlets are secure.

_When did I put on my belt and get my guns? When did I get in an escape pod?_

I put my feet against the ceiling and push off, blades drawn. I slash at the entrance, doing my best to break it. If we don't get out now, we drown or get crushed. Try as I might, though, this door was made to withstand the pressure of space. It isn't going to give under a small kid's strength. I shoot at the handle, but it doesn't work. The rebound almost hits me, then wears off after hitting the ceiling. I swim back up and gasp for air.

"No use." I dive down and try again. I'm about to go back up when movement gets my attention. The Nautolan Jedi is out there, swimming like a fish. He must be using the Force, because the door is pulled away. We all get sucked out and I start swimming hard for the surface. I look down and count us. Wait, where the heck is Rex? I go the last two feet, breathe in a couple lungfuls of air, then dive again. The Jedi joins me.

"What are you doing?" He asks. I mouth Rex's name and get a mouthful of salt water for my effort. I continue swimming down until in the pod again. I see the Captain, struggling to free his ankle from where it had been snared.

The pressure in my ears is excruciating, but I won't leave him. I paddle over and check his foot. I try untying the wire around his ankle, but it's no use. The General moves me and cuts the wire with his lightsaber.

I'm getting lightheaded from lack of oxygen, and can't imagine how Rex must be feeling. I signal for the General to get the Captain up and leave me. I still have a few seconds of air left.

I kick hard and try floating up, speeding my progress by using all my limbs. I have to fight the urge to not breathe in. An invisible force shoves me the last ten feet. I float on my back and gulp lungfuls of sweet air. Everyone is here, though Rex looks pretty beat up.

"Okay, I'll word my question better. What the heck happened in the last...however long?" Everyone looks at me like I'm a lunatic. Kix comes over and starts pressing at different points on my head. When he prods a sore spot, I yelp and reflexively shove him away. Weird how if it had been my arm or leg I wouldn't have done that. Instinct is a very curious thing.

"Amnesia. What's the last thing you remember?" The medic asks.

"Dinner the day we left Coruscant. How long ago was that?"

"Almost a week. You don't remember anything?" Fives answers. I rack my brain and search for anything that could have happened. The results scare me.

"Nothing. Are we on Krovell?" They exchange looks. An ache is starting behind the bone over my right eye.

"No. We aren't sure which planet this is. Separatists attacked us and we had to abandon ship." The Jedi answers. I feel disoriented. When I look around, all I can see is water in every direction. The sun is warm, and this would be pleasant if we had a boat.

"Okay, do you remember our names and ranks?" Kix asks.

"Yes." He gives me a prompting look and I sigh.

"You're Kix, a medic, Captain Rex, ARC trooper Fives, and troopers Tup and Jesse." The Jedi looks at me expectantly. "Sorry, General. If I learned your name in the last week, I don't remember it."

"Kit Fisto." He says. I don't try standing at attention in the water. Not a good idea on any accounts. The salt water is stinging my shoulder.

_Good. That will help._

"Alright, at any random time from here on out, someone ask Twitch a question." Kix orders. Oh, this'll be fun.

"Uh, instead of worrying about if I can remember what I ate last night, shouldn't we be finding land?" I point out. Fisto floats on his back, meditating, as far as I can tell. I wait quietly until he straightens.

"This way." He starts swimming in a random direction. I can only hope he did some Jedi thing and knows where he's going. As we swim, I am bombarded with questions from Rex, Fives and Tup.

"What did we do to boost morale on Umbara?" Rex demands.

"Built an obstacle course."

"How did we take over the airbase?" Tup questions.

"You and Hardcase hijacked enemy ships."

"What did I say about drinking?" Kix chips in.

"It's an evil that shouldn't be indulged." This gets both me and the medic dunked, and we receive protests from the others. I spit salty water out of my mouth.

"Great question, Kix. Maybe next you can ask something that'll get us drowned."

"You didn't forget your sarcasm, that's for sure. What does 'jetar madle' mean?" Fives says.

"Meat maggot." Kix splashes both of us for that.

"How many crates did you help get on the cruiser before we took off?" Rex asks. I think about it before answering.

"Twenty seven. I think." The number doesn't exactly hurt my pride.

"How many teeth does a Trandoshan have?" Jesse says. I wince.

"Enough to make me hate them." My shoulder thankfully hasn't bled yet.

"Good answer." Tup says.

"When was the first time you ignored your paranoia in the last how long?" Two questions in one. Rex is getting good at this.

"In the last eleven months, the first time I ignored my paranoia was in a particular alleyway... Resulting in you crawling through a dusty vent and chasing my rear end from Coruscant to the Outer Rim." There are snickers after that.

"Okay, which general's orders did you ignore by going down to Umbara?" My cheeks go bright red when Rex asks this. I dunk him before grumbling:

"General Kenobi."

"You ignored direct orders to fight on Umbara?" Tup asks.

"Yes. I remember a certain few soldiers flying three enemy ships on an _unauthorized_ mission, though."

"That was understandable." Fives points out.

"And me fighting Separatists isn't?"

"Hmm. Thirteen year old girl fighting a traitorous Jedi and deadly locals. Sounds perfectly understandable to me." Tup jokes.

"You have a history for not obeying orders?" Fisto asks.

"No, it was only the one time." I say hurriedly. Not good when a general hears you disobeyed direct orders. "Did—did I say anything to you in the last week?" I ask. Better to know.

"Not much, except to report casualties during a battle."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. There was a battle?"

"When our ship was attacked. I'm getting worried if you really don't remember fighting." Rex says.

"I'm worried about that too. Though, most of the fights I've been in kinda blur together."

"Your memory loss?" Kix asks.

"The number of the fights. Impossible to remember them all." This gets me a strange look from the General.

"I'm very curious as to how one so young was on the battlefield so many times."

_Argh, I hate talking about my past. It either makes me sound like a deserter or like I want pity._

"Uh—I, um..." I can't find the right words for this. I look pleadingly at Rex, then Fives.

"It's a long story, General." Fives covers. Not really. I could sum up the last three years in a nutshell. From the look the Jedi has, this will come up again.

"When was the first time we met?" Fives asks.

"The attack on the ship before Umbara. Your ribs were broken."

"When did you meet me?" Tup asks.

"Meal after the incident on Umbara." Kix looks uncomfortable when he asks the next question.

"_Which_ incident? There were a lot of those." Touchiest subject I can think of. Great.

"The clone shoot clone one." No one says anything for a while. All our moods go down to miserable at the mention of that set up. They always do if much of anything about Umbara comes up. I recall the feeling of horror when I realized what was happening. Before the revelation, I can clearly remember shooting down two men. I decide that I should try something to help.

"Guys?" I get muttered acknowledgments. "Toughen up." Fives, Tup and Rex all dunk me at once. When I manage to get back to the surface the others are smiling. Mission accomplished.

"There!" My attention snaps to the horizon when the General speaks. I can see a blur, most likely land. The distance is disheartening, undoing the little happiness I managed to salvage.

After three hours of swimming, I notice that we aren't going as fast. Rex in particular looks pretty tired. Either physical exhaustion, bad moods, or both have made us move slowly. After another hour, the blur has become larger and more definite, but everyone looks like they might fall asleep, except the General who is darting around like a fish.

"Come on, guys. We've walked farther and longer than this." I say.

"You forget, we were fighting for almost a day before crashing here." Jesse says. I raise my eyebrows, tip my head forward, and look at him, waiting to see if he'll remember how poorly worded that was. "Oh yeah. By the way, we were fighting for almost a day before crashing here." He says.

"Now I really wish my memory wasn't gone." When everyone but Rex and Fives look at me, I shrug as best I can. "What? I wasn't named Twitch for enjoying stillness."

"Stillness leads to calm. Calmness leads to clear thoughts." The Jedi says. I try to project as clearly in my thoughts as I can that the times I'm most calm and clear headed is in battle. As soon as I do this he glances at me over his shoulder and keeps on swimming.

_Oops. Looks like he was more perceptive than I thought._

After half an hour, the talking starts up again.

"What happened in the north and south towers on Christophsis?" Rex asks.

"We were ambushed by droids."

"How did the droids know we were there?" Kix demands.

"There was a spy in our ranks."

"Who was the spy?" Jesse asks.

"Slick. Commander Cody accidentally stun blasted me when we fought him." Getting stun blasted sums up to feeling like lightning is grabbing your body and then blacking out.

"What happened after we caught him, in detail right up to getting back on the cruiser. Everything you did." Kix orders. I describe the battle in steps.

"After we left the alley, we shot at more droids and you checked more troops. We held them off until reinforcements arrived, then went around looking for any injured men." I finish. A wall of water knocks me under the surface. A storm had come right over us without anyone noticing. I get back to air and cough violently. "I'm starting to hate nature." I splutter.

"You would be dead without nature." Fisto points out. A roar and another wave sends me under the surface, flipping me around until I have no idea which way is up. I let a couple of bubbles leave my lips and follow them. Water is up my nose and down my throat and in my lungs. As soon as I'm up, I kick over to where Rex and Jesse are floating. One by one everyone makes their way back to us.

"Nature is going to _make_ us dead if we don't get to land." I shout over the wind. Rain pours down, though it doesn't make much difference except how hard it is to see. Another behemoth wave shoves me down. I'm caught in an undercurrent and somersault underwater. I kick out, raking the water with my arms, doing anything to breathe again.

§ § §

I think all my limbs are intact. Maybe. I can move all of them, but not very much. I'm too exhausted to move them. Water is lapping at my ankles.

_Is the tide coming in or out? Can't move. Too tired._

A wave send the freezing water up to my hips, after a few more the water goes to my ribs. I try digging my hands into the wet sand. They sink up to the wrists. I push up and fall over onto my side.

_Can't..._

* * *

_A.N. ~ Chapter Fifteen in the next 48 hours. Not sure if nearly a week of memory loss counts as amnesia. Minor amnesia? The internet didn't give me a direct answer. Ah, well. The definition is 'a partial or total loss of memory', so I'm calling it amnesia. Please positively and negatively review..._


	15. Nature, That Was Uncalled For

_A.N. ~ Hey, sorry this took so long. 'Real life' and all that..._

* * *

As soon as I wake, I prop myself up and vomit. I finish coughing and do it again. Once I'm done making myself feel royally miserable, I look at my surroundings. The island is a jungle, and I'm on the fringe. No, _we're_ on the fringe. Kit Fisto looks at me kindly.

"How do you feel?" Is the first thing he says.

"Better, now that I'm not drowning. Are you alright?" He nods.

"It's hard to drown someone who can breathe underwater." I look around and a cold weight settles in my stomach.

"The others?"

"I was separated from them during the storm, and found you. They are most likely on the island as well." I can't be sure about that. There were a lot of currents pushing us around.

I stand, then sit until the dizziness passes, then get up again. All the while Fisto watches me like a mother bird watches her hatchlings as they learn to fly. Once I'm sure I can stand and walk, he stands as well, moving along the shore. I follow, missing one of my guns. I can feel water sloshing inside my gauntlets. I take one off and shake it out, then repeat with the other, glad for long sleeves.

"Those are well used. How did you get them?"

"Stole them from Separatists."

"You seem a bit young to be near Separatists." I hate when people try to sneak answers out of me.

"General, if you have questions, it would be much faster if you flat out asked them." Now I indirectly ask him something. His turn.

"Alright, then. How is it a young girl such as yourself ended up fighting Separatists in an elite clone legion?"

"I left the Republic when I was ten to do as much damage as possible to the Seps. In three months, they caught me. I escaped eleven months ago. Nine months after I stole my weapons, I was shot by a droid and brought onto a Republic cruiser. Once we won Umbara, I was assigned to the 501st." I wait as he thinks this through, picking my words apart.

"Didn't you worry your parents?" He says at length.

"I don't have parents."

"Orphan, then?"

"No." He looks at me closely.

"Family?"

"Too many to count."

"What exactly are your origins?" How many people will this become apparent to?

"I'll make this blunt. Twitch is my nickname, because saying 'CT-28-3758' takes too long."

_Shut up, Twitch. I can't believe you were so frank with a general._

"A female clone. Interesting. Why did you leave?"

"Do you really think the Kaminoans planned on letting me go fight? They wanted to study me. Many of them just wanted the flaw dead."

_Shut up, Twitch. I'm getting too loose tongued. Why do I always do this around Jedi?_

"So you always wanted to fight?"

"Of course! The only time I really have fun is when I'm fighting Separatists or doing some dangerous stunt." He smiles and looks at me again.

"It's interesting how you show no physical signs like your brothers, yet are like many of them in spirit."

"It's why I get along so well with them. What I don't share physically, I make up for on the inside."

_Shut up, Twitch. Much deeper and you won't be able to breathe._

"You don't enjoy talking about yourself." I shrug.

"Not many good things to talk about."

"Well ain't that just a load of poodoo." I look behind us sharply. Tup and Rex are standing there, wet but smiling. I'm not sure which said it.

"Good to know you guys didn't drown. Find anyone else?" They shake their heads. My thoughts go to Fives and Jesse and Kix.

"Those three better not have drowned or I'll kill them myself. Oh, wait..." I realize I had spoken aloud. I hate it when I do that. I hear something off and cock my head.

"Everybody stop talking." I order. Their voices cease and we can all hear the noise. That sound is one I have heard so many times. A clone is screaming.

§ § §

I'm running before anyone else, arm-blades out. I head straight for the sound deep in the jungle. One of my friends is hurt or seriously scared.

_Whoever is harassing them better have multiple lives. _

As soon as I enter a clearing, however, it goes to 'whatever' and _me_ needing the spare lives. A gigantic animal resembling a huge ape with sharp teeth is trying to crush three white-clad men. One is in its left hand, trying to squirm free.

I run behind the beast, jump onto it's back, and scramble to its arm. I get a better idea and take out my gun, aiming at the eye. The howl that comes when I pull the trigger momentarily deafens me. It waves its arm, dropping the troop and throwing me off. I land beside him. It's Fives.

"I meant to hit the left eye." I shout over the crashing.

"You're exceptionally good at hitting targets you don't aim for. Now move!" We roll in opposite directions just as a massive hand tramples the ground we had been lying on. In my peripheral vision, I spot the General and the others as I get up.

"Run or kill?" I ask.

"Kill it. We may be here a while." The Jedi orders. I start shooting at the creature's head, aiming at the eyes. Fisto jumps onto the animal's shoulder and slashes the neck in three places. Its jugulars and throat are now marked with uniform gashes. After a lot of thrashing, the primate falls. I turn to run and trip on an exposed root. I curse loudly just as it lands on me.

§ § §

One of the ape's ribs is wedged in between my shoulder blades. The animal is so large I am stuck in the small dent between its rib cages. It smells horrible, I can't move, and breathing is sort of an issue right now. I try getting out, but the gigantic rib digs into my skin. Unless I somehow become flatter, I'm going to have to wait until someone gets me out of here. I can't get my arm-blades into a good position. Not that they would cut a hole big enough to do any good. I breathe in deeply and shout as loudly as possible.

"Guys? Guys, this smells really bad. Anytime you want to get me out of here, it would be nice." I can hear muffled laughing. I'll never hear the end of this. "Okay, you've had your laugh at my expense. Anytime this solar cycle would be lovely." The chuckling goes on. "Remember that story about how I de-tongued someone?" This just causes more sounds of amusement. I lie still and wait while they finish laughing. "I can't really breathe, so if you could laugh _after_ this, I would appreciate it."

"Twitch, can you move?" Someone shouts.

"If this thing wasn't on top of me, I could do cartwheels." I answer.

"Then get ready." The second I feel the weight leave me I dart forward. I'm outside in fresh air so fast I almost stumble, gasping in oxygen. Fisto lowers his arm.

"Thank you, and remind me to dawdle if a gigantic animal ever falls on you." They laugh again. I sit down and roll my eyes. Kit Fisto examines the beast.

"These are rare creatures. Only found in the Anikata System." He muses. I have never heard of this system.

"Night is falling. We'd better start a fire." Rex says. I nod in agreement. We split up to collect wood, me hopping into trees and cutting down dead branches. A hiss causes me to lose my grip on a tree. I grab a dead branch, which unhelpfully snaps, and tumble to the ground.

When I get my breath back, I notice that I had been inches from a massive serpent and not even noticed. It stays in its tree, but watches as I pick myself up and scan the other branches. Come to think of it, all the trees in this part of the jungle have at least one gigantic snake, I back up slowly, heading towards our camp, looking up and behind me in case of more animals. One is hanging right over the path I used to get in here.

My shoulders sag in disbelief and frustration. I can't talk in case I startle them and can't just go under a tree with a probably venomous animal dangling from it. No sudden moves either. I notice someone is coming down the path. I slowly put up a hand and he stops.

Tup tilts his head questioningly. I point at the snakes and mouth 'General Fisto'. He quietly slips back into the trees. I stand still, looking around and listen to the hisses for a good eight minutes before I notice the General. 'Help!' I plead silently.

He takes in the scene. I can tell I'm in trouble. I hate the Anikata System already. I'm lifted off the ground, going higher than the snakes until I'm above the trees. I move forward and am deposited back in camp. First thing I do is look at all the trees for signs of life.

"We already looked around. No creepy crawlies nearby." Rex assures me.

"Well, I'm all for leaving now." I say.

"They were just snakes." Jesse points out.

"Snakes that could probably swallow you whole if they wanted to." I argue.

"And extremely poisonous ones at that." I turn to see Fisto coming out of the trees.

"And extremely poisonous ones." I echo, looking back at Jesse.

§ § §

"Watch your left!"

"Aiyeeee!"

"Move it!"

"Fall back!" The sounds of gunfire and explosions make my eyes fly open. The noises of battle continue ringing in my ears. It's the middle of the night. I get up, wide awake. Fives' body language looks tired, but he faithfully keeps watch.

"Get some sleep. I'll take next shift." I murmur.

"You sure? You probably got worn out a lot more than us." I try to swallow my irritation at that comment.

"I'm sure. Go sleep." He reluctantly moves closer to the fire and lies down. I throw more kindling into the flames, add a dry log, and look around, watching for movement.

* * *

_A.N. ~ so continues the island arc. Chapter Sixteen within the next 48 hours. As usual, please negatively and positively review..._


	16. Little Talks

_A.N. ~ sorry about real life. Hopefully won't happen again. So, I really don't have anything to say but 'enjoy'!_

* * *

At dawn, I'm still alert, and haven't traded off with anyone. A hand on my shoulder makes me start.

"How long have you been up?" Fives asks.

"Since when we traded off." I answer honestly.

"That was six hours ago. You should have woken one of the others."

"Wouldn't have slept. If I'm going to be up all night, I may as well let everyone else sleep." He sighs in frustration.

"Well, try sleeping now." I hear the others stirring.

"No use. Everyone is getting up." As if on cue, the General sits cross legged.

"Fives, you took first shift. Tell me you didn't stay up all night." He says.

"No, sir. I'm afraid Twitch did after trading off with me."

"In his defence, he stayed up 'til past midnight before I did." I step in. A helmet bounces off the ground near my feet. A bleary looking Tup is sitting, his usually neat, tight bun is loose and frizzed. The helmet was mostly his way of saying 'shut up' right then.

"Sorry." The three of us say at the same time. He retrieves his helmet and coughs. I realize how desperately I need water too, and how hungry I am.

"Okay, I'll just say it. We need food and water before anything." I say. Two more helmets hit my legs. Kix and Jesse are getting up. I stoop over and hand them the armour.

"Twitch is right. If we want to get rescued, we will have to stay alive." General Fisto says.

"But what exactly do we eat? Everything we've found here is poisonous and wants us dead." Jesse asks.

"I can always hunt fish in the ocean. If you see an animal that is smaller than you and is a mammal, it is edible." The General explains.

§ § §

We end up having a meal of cooked fish and something like an oversized squirrel. If we had water to wash it down, I would be a lot happier. My throat goes dry all of a sudden and I end up coughing until my eyes tear.

"We really need to find water." Rex says after I'm done. There are muttered agreements.

"Then we best start looking. Meet back here at sunset." The General says. We go in groups: Fives and Tup, Kix and Jesse, and me with Fisto and Rex. We split up, avoiding the area where I saw the snakes. Well into the jungle, after ten minutes of searching, and finding nothing, I feel discouraged.

_But wait, if there was an animal the size of that ape, there has to be a water source._

I listen and look around, hoping for the music of water. Nothing. I look at the sun.

"It's getting close to sunset." I comment. Wordlessly we turn around. When we get back, we find just as unhappy Kix and Jesse.

"I take it neither of you found anything?" Fisto asks. They shake their heads. A stick snapping gets us all on our feet before realizing it's only Fives and Tup.

"Guess what?" Tup asks, sounding miserable.

"You didn't find anything." Kix states. We all get sprayed with droplets of water.

"Wrong! We found plenty of drinkable water." Fives crows, causing me to smile.

"Good job. We'll go first thing in the morning." Kit says. We light the fire. I'm about to take up a watching position when Rex turns me around and keeps me walking until I'm next to the fire, where he makes me lie down.

"What? I'm not tired, I may as well take first watch." I grumble.

"And take all the watches. You sleep." He orders. I don't protest, because by now I know it's futile to argue with him when it comes to anyone's welfare. The ground is hard and I can't get comfortable. My hand starts tapping against the dirt quietly. Our Jedi General is currently watching, and I can already tell if I tried, he would send me straight back to bed.

§ § §

The water Fives and Tup found is cold and supplied by a feathery waterfall. I drink deeply and splash some on the back of my neck. Everyone else is busy doing the same things. I remind myself to never take air or water for granted ever again. General Fisto is darting around under the surface, enjoying his natural element.

While the others wash themselves, I go hunting and bring back another large squirrel. Honestly, we're eating better here than when we were on our cruiser. The others are dry and clothed by the time I return to camp, and while they cook the squirrel after I skin it, I swim behind the waterfall and undress there, putting my clothes and weapons on a ledge.

The privacy is welcome, though rather loud, and washing feels wonderful. As soon as I've scrubbed myself down, I try to get as much grime out of my body suit as possible before putting it back on, then washing my gauntlets before snapping them tightly around my arms. When I get back on the grassy bank, the food is almost done.

I lie in a sunbeam and wait for my garments and hair to dry off. I note how quiet everything is. Besides the chatter of the water, no insects buzz and no birds sing. I don't hear anything, not even wind. I look around uneasily.

I check the bluntness of my arm-blades. They need to be sharpened soon. The blue paint is marked with scratches already. My thoughts stray to Umbara and replay the clone-shoot-clone disaster. It insists on making me watch it over and over until I want to scream with frustration.

"Twitch, we already have a fire going." Fives reminds me. I jerk back to reality.

"I was frowning again, wasn't I?" I ask tiredly.

"Yes." He and Tup say simultaneously. I sigh.

"You alright?" Rex asks.

"Perfectly. I just tend to frown when I'm thinking." I lie. About the first part, anyway. The General looks at me curiously, but says nothing. They go back to whatever they had been doing. I feel sadness at the toll this war has taken on all of us. At times, I'm sure it taxes even the Jedi. I notice something move. One of the large, pale snakes is in a tree fifteen feet from us.

"Guys..." I say. They follow the line my finger points. I look at every tree in sight. This is a lone snake. Fisto clenches his fist calmly and the snake falls to the ground, dead, and flattened. He sends the animal's body flying away over the treetops. I relax. Nature is just as sure to kill you as it is to keep you alive.

§ § §

Well, we could live here for the rest of our lives until something more dangerous finally got us, but I would go insane if I didn't get to do anything besides hunting. I killed and skinned four of those squirrel things, so I get the day off while the others cook.

"You know, on some planets the women cook and the men hunt." Jesse says lightheartedly. I roll onto my stomach, chin on hands and propped up on my elbows.

"Imply anything like that ever again and I'll beat you up." I joke.

"You should be careful of your words, Jesse. They may land you in mortal peril." Fisto cautions.

"For example, the end of Twitch's arm-blades." Rex says. I smile and return to my previous position on my back. The sun is warm and soothing.

"Eheh. Shutting up now." The chastised trooper mutters. Usually I can't stay still, but when I've barely slept and am on soft grass in a warm sunbeam, I make exceptions. The lack of noise still worries me, but right now I'm finally drowsy, and I will be taking advantage of it.

I slip into a trance where technically, I'm asleep, but I'm still aware of my surroundings minus sight. I hear a splash that signifies the General going for a swim. After ten minutes, the others start talking. I sense a hand waving over my eyes, but stay still. They wouldn't be checking unless this was important.

"Yeah, she's out alright." I can't be sure who that is. Their voices kind of melt together.

"You sure?"

"Do you want to poke her and find out?"

"Last time I startled her, I almost lost a finger. Be my guest if you really want to risk it."

"You alright, Rex?"

"Yeah. She's just...am I the only one whose noticed this is the first time she's slept in two days?" How many of these talks have they had behind my back?

"I've noticed. Am I the only one whose noticed that she's been distant lately? Yesterday I swear she was upset."

"You're right. Maybe it's the memory loss?"

"No. She wouldn't be so upset about that." He's right. I actually have had memory loss of my memory loss.

"Maybe it's being here. We all know how she is when there isn't enough fighting. You should have seen her during shore leave."

"Before the Trandoshan, we did. I thought she was finicky in the bar because of our bad mood." I swear that was Fives. But then, picking out the voice of a certain clone in a conversation without looking is like trying to pick a specific orange out of five when blindfolded.

"Twenty seven crates in half an hour with no break usually means pent up energy." That had to be Rex.

"Twenty seven? I thought that was her memory loss talking."

"Okay, back on track. When was the last time we saw her like this or worse?"

"On the cruiser when we were heading to Coruscant. She was upset about not contributing enough." Rex.

"You must be joking. Most of us would be dead if she hadn't been around. Me included." Fives, most likely.

"It was probably the inactivity getting to her. Gah. Focus." Rex...maybe.

"Umbara. Remember how depressed she was?"

"We were all pretty depressed after that last setup Krell did, but I think you're right. Back in the ocean, remember how quiet she got at the mention of it?" Bingo, ding ding ding. I wasn't completely sure about it until they said it themselves, but now I'm certain.

"Did she just move?" I still myself.

"Probably dreaming. She's twitchy awake or asleep."

_Ain't _that_ the truth._

"How would you know?" Not sure.

"Do you have _any_ idea how much noise she makes when tossing and turning? I could swear she makes an effort of it." No idea, though the comment makes me feel guilty.

"Alright, back to Umbara. We all don't like what happened, and I can honestly say I wish the memory loss affected that part of her memory rather than last week." Hear, hear.

"Cheering her up is only temporary. There's no way to cure something like this. She has to help herself." I don't like it, but they're right. I'm the only one who can make myself feel better.

"Wait...what's that?" Suddenly they all start shouting and shooting. I'm standing in two seconds with my arm-blades out. Another monster ape is coming. The General joins us. He dispatches this one the exact same way he did with the other, then pushes it away with the Force, walking into the trees. After almost an hour he comes back.

"Everyone alright?" He checks. I nod and the others mutter affirmatives. The green skinned Jedi goes back into the water and I lie down. Somehow I reenter the trance I'd been in before and lie peacefully. Another ten minutes before the hand.

"Twitch, you awake?" The voice is quiet enough to not wake me but loud enough to be heard if I was conscious. I don't react, just continue breathing deeply.

"_How_ is she so fidgety, yet falls asleep right after something like _that_?" I resist the urge to smile.

"Fives, I'll save you a load of sleep now and tell you to never try understanding a woman. Especially Twitch. Your head would explode before you could do it." Must...not...smile!

"Your probably right. So, no way to help her, huh?"

"No. This is internal and something she has to learn to deal with. It's something every soldier goes through." The next words surprise me.

"She's just a kid. She shouldn't _be_ a soldier or have to go through that." I'm not sure who that is.

"Yeah, try telling that to her face. She loves fighting the Seps as much as we do. Probably more."

"Tup, we all worry about her, but you're forgetting that she'll most likely outlive us all. You've seen her fight."

"Hardcase was a good fighter and he still died." I inwardly wince when he says this. It was a cruel blow. Even worse when it comes from your best friend. "Fives, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." The apology comes almost immediately.

"It's alright. You're worried. We all are." Those two get along so well it amazes me. There were days during training when the stress caused Fives and I to fight, and I can hold a grudge for years, and have, though I gave up those ones (at the most) in a few days. After a couple minutes of silence, I hear a breath of amusement.

"Did anyone else see how fast she got up when that ape appeared?"

"Yes. I pity anyone who tries jumping her when she's sleeping." I second that.

"She almost cut me open in the Mess once. Something about being late for training." Oh, yeah, I remember that. Pop quiz day. They lapse into silence and I succumb fully to sleep.

* * *

_A.N. ~ *singing* someone has three parents. *Normal voice* so, Twitch is feeling a little guilty, then. _

Fives: _she'll get over it. I hope._

Rex: _probably. Even if she doesn't, she's not going to let it stop her._

Kix: _well, depression can affect her capability—_

Everyone: _Kix, shut up._

Me: _okay, you know the drill. Next forty eight hours unless WW3 starts. Please review, naughty and nice._


	17. Shooting Straight

_A.N. ~ olly olly oxen freeee! Heyo, just saying hi before the chapter starts. And a friendly reminder that **I don't own Star Wars. It belongs to George Lucas, though anything that was not created by said genius belongs to me and I'd like to keep it that way.** Thanks!_

* * *

Dinner woke me up. Dinner must pay for it by being harshly eaten. I chomp down the tender meat. Without seasoning, it's pretty bland, but I can get enough flavour out of it to know that it would taste great with the proper herbs. The others are eating a lot too. Problem with clone metabolisms, we need to eat more food than average humans.

Or at least, they do. I grow pretty normally, which at times I resent, but now am glad for. We still have two and a half of the creatures left, meaning tomorrow is an off day...maybe. Once everyone finishes eating I say what everyone is thinking.

"How are we going to get off this planet and back to the Republic?"

"Before evacuating, we sent our coordinates and a plea for help to them." Fisto says.

"So we just stay here, and wait to be rescued." My hand immediately starts tapping the ground. Some part of me has to move.

"Unless you want to try sending out smoke signals, yes." Rex answers. My hand taps faster. The others exchange glances.

"Going insane from inactivity?" Fives guesses.

"Yep."

"You hunted already today." He points out.

"That was hours ago. Call me crazy, but I miss getting shot at."

"Your crazy." Kix says.

"No, actually, that's—that's kind of normal for her." Tup says.

§ § §

I'm pretty sure I'm dreaming. Or I've actually gone insane. Or maybe that really is a Republic LAAT/i gunship flying over us. The others are looking at it too. We exchange one look with each other and take off after it. The General uses the Force and sends us onto the beach.

"Hey! Hey, get back here!" I shout. The others are yelling too.

Fisto quickly leaps onto the gunship and waves at the pilots. They bank and land on the beach. The Jedi hops down and one of the gunship's side doors open, revealing several troopers.

"Is anyone injured?" One asks.

"No, we are all alright." The General says. We thankfully have all our things with us. I hear a hiss over the waves and look around. I start when I see a pale snake well camouflaged in the sand, sneaking up on us.

"Snake...snake!" I say tensely. The animal is five feet away. The General sends it flying off into the jungle. I breathe out a sigh of relief and look up. "Can we go home now?"

§ § §

I never thought I'd see the moment when I would be glad to be back onboard a cruiser for several days. Kix had taken me to the medical bay as soon as we were back to look at my head. The cut was clean and small, but the affect on my memory still worried him. I'm uncomfortable with not knowing what I did and said for several days, too.

I'm now walking with Rex down a corridor on our way to the Mess when we run into Skywalker. He stops and smiles.

"Rex, Twitch. Good to see you alive." Around most other men, Rex would be in full military mode, but when it's just him, the General and myself, he's relaxed.

"Same about you, sir." Anakin looks at me.

"Before the attack, what was it you wanted to talk about?" My mind races, but there is zero memory of that.

"I...uh. I don't remember."

"You seemed pretty worried about it. Let me know if you remember."

"I'll throw a party if I do." He raises an eyebrow.

"Twitch hit her head on the way down. Memory loss. Can't remember anything between takeoff and when we crashed." Rex says.

"Been to the med bay?" Anakin checks.

"Yes." I forgot the 'sir', but he doesn't seem to mind. He just sends us on our way. My stomach growls at me quietly. "You know, we were eating better on that island than we are up here." I comment.

"True. But there were no droids to shoot either."

"Very true. I think I'd rather be hungry than never shoot at a droid again." He smirkes.

"Agreed. Fives training with you again?"

"Only until we get wherever we were going. Then it's back to finally doing something."

"You know, you did help with your ridiculously long watches and hunting."

"My shifts weren't ridiculous, I just didn't sleep well on a snake infested island. Is that such a crime?"

"No. And somehow you noticed a snake every time one can within fifty feet of us."

"Good thing, too. That one in the sand was heading straight for you." We enter the Mess Hall. I spot Fives alone in one corner. As soon as I get my food, I join him.

"So, what's on the training curriculum?" I ask.

"Cartwheels and backflips." He says.

"Ha, ha. If I wanted to do gymnastics, I would have during shore leave." Rex joins us.

"Nah, you were too busy getting captured by a Trandoshan for that." The Captain says. That stings my pride.

"Excuse me, who got caught _first_?"

"Who escaped first?" He challenges.

"Technically, I got my arms in front of me and my gag off first. You went through those vents because that sleemo would've killed you otherwise." He gives me an irritated look. I notice Fives trying to steal food off my plate and rap his knuckles with my fork, causing his hand to draw back. I take a bite and chew, almost enjoying the bland food. After a few minutes, he tries again. This time I use the heavy metal handle of my knife.

"Ow!" He yelps.

"Just because you didn't try it for three minutes doesn't make me blind." I point out. He keeps his fork to himself afterwards. Once we finish, I look at my plate with disappointment.

"Still rather be hungry and shooting droids?" Rex asks.

"Compared to being full and fighting off snakes with nothing to do, yes." I reply bluntly.

§ § §

"Now I know why you miss the target you aim for." Fives says.

"What'd I do?" I ask. I could be a lot more helpful if I could shoot straight.

"When you hold the gun, your wrist moves slightly outward. That makes your gun jerk when you shoot and, well, you know the rest." I try straightening my arm and shoot at the target, getting a bullseye right where I wanted it.

"Works like bloody magic!" I exclaim. I try again and again until the target is pummelled. I smile in triumph. Our comms turn on.

"We've reached our destination. You two get your rear ends down to the hangar." Rex says. I smile, checking the charges on my old and new DC-17s before holstering them. I feel along the edges of my freshly sharpened arm-blades as we walk.

"Double checking the armoury?" Fives teases.

"Yep. Grievous better hope he isn't in the same hemisphere as us."

"Knowing you, I would say he better hope not to be on the same planet." I smile.

"Don't count yourself out. He's going to be riddled with holes if he does anything besides surrender." We take the lift. As soon as we enter the hangar, we go into a gunship. "What's the name of this planet again?" I ask.

"Saleucami."

"Neutral planet, until now."

"How'd you know?"

"Because I haven't been here. I went to every planet except for the neutral ones. Or, at least, heard of all the un-neutral ones."

"Huh." Is all he says.

Rex, Kenobi, Kix, Jesse and Tup all join us. The doors close and we lift off. Kix, forever the medic, checks my head until I duck under his hands.

"No, I don't remember anything. Before you ask." He grumphs and I hide a smile. When we land, I'm surprised at the walkers and number of troops. Rex disappears for a while and I simply follow everyone. The Captain goes by on a speeder bike a couple hours later.

"General Kenobi. Sir, any sign of Grievous?"

"I believe we've found Grievous's ship." The Jedi answers. I look at the wreckage. Oh, boy. We spread out and I start looking around with the others.

"The housing intake is still warm! This couldn't have happened too long ago." Someone shouts. I look at a hole and slip through it. I'm inside the wreck and looking at a lot of commando droids. I scramble out, cutting my right calf on jagged metal in my hurry.

"Sir, there's a battalion of shut down commando droids down there." I shout. I glance at my torn pant leg and the blood, growl in frustration, and rub the red liquid with the fabric. The General comes and pokes his head in the hole, then turns to acknowledge Rex as he walks up.

"The coop compartment's almost destroyed." He reports.

"We'll split into teams. Rex, take Jesse, Kix and Twitch with you and search those wetlands." The Captain straightens and stands at attention.

"Yes, sir. Company." He prompts.

"And Rex. If you get a visual on Grievous, contact me before you engage." Kenobi orders. I follow the older soldiers over to some speeders. I smile in anticipation.

"Know how to drive one of these, Twitch?" Jesse asks.

"No, but I always wanted to try." I say.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but for now, experienced drivers only. You're on with me." Rex says. I feel disappointment, but just perch on the back, holding onto his shoulders firmly. We start up the machines and zip off towards the wetlands.

* * *

_A.N. ~ well, too bad we already know what happens next. But, of course, Twitch always makes things interesting (usually), so, hey, whatever you wanna do next, the Saleucami chapters aren't vital to the plot line, so if you wanna skip them, be my guest. As always, please positively and negatively comment! Critics welcome, haters can find something else to do. Chapter Eighteen within 48 hours._


	18. Rules

A loud shot sends Rex flying off the speeder.

"Protect the Captain." Jesse orders me. I jump off the moving vehicle and run to him.

"Rex!" I gasp. A still-smoking hole is in his chest armour. I can hear shooting, but am too busy checking vitals. The blasting stops as I take Rex's helmet off. He's alive, but unconscious. I turn on my comm.

"Rex is still alive. You better get back here." Kix reaches us first and I move aside. Jesse runs up a minute later.

"How bad?" He asks.

"Pretty bad. I need to remove his armour to see the full extent of the damage." I swallow hard. I've been shot before. Rex is in a lot of pain and I know it.

"Those snuggers may have called for back up. Unless we want to get picked off one by one, we should find better cover." Jesse says. He looks up at the long legged and nosed animals near us. He talks again."Wait a minute, those critters are domesticated."

"Sir?" Kix asks.

"And where there's a farm, there's usually a farmer. Let's find his homestead." What he's saying makes me look around as though the farmer will appear at any minute. They get Rex on a stretcher attached to one of the speeders. I hop on behind Jesse.

We end up going down what is clearly a road. The second we stop in front of a farm house, the door swings open and a pink Twi'lek points a gun at Jesse and I. My arm-blades come out reflexively, but the older man signals for me to stand down.

"We want no trouble here." She says with a strong accent.

"Easy with that weapon, ma'am." Jesse says, taking off his helmet. "We're here as friends." His voice is steady.

"State your business." She orders, pointing the gun directly at us. I have to resist the urge to let my blades out again.

"Our Captain's been hurt. We need—"

"I am no doctor, so just—" She interrupts Kix.

"We have a medic, ma'am. We just need a place to tend him overnight." Jesse cuts her off in turn.

"Mommy! Who's—"

"Get back inside, both of you." She orders a little Twi'lek girl and her brother.

"Ohhh. Mo-om." The little boy whines, the girl leaning forward with her arms hanging. I can't help but smile at their cuteness.

"There are some benches, out back in the barn. It's the best I can do."

"That'll be fine, ma'am. Thank you." Jesse says. She stops pointing the gun and leans against it, scowling at us. Inside the barn, I wait tensely as Kix works on a tossing and turning Rex. He places a bacta patch on his friend's bare chest.

"What—what happened?" I jump down from the fence I'd been sitting on when Rex speaks.

"Commando droids took a potshot...that would have gone straight through your heart, had it been two inches to the left." Kix explains. I feel sick to my stomach at the thought.

"I can't move my arm." The Captain says. Kix helps him sit up.

"You have some nerve damage." The medic explains.

"Acknowledged. Now, patch me up and let's get on with it." I see the blood on his back and wince.

"Sir, you're in no condition. It'll heal, but it will take _time_." Kix says firmly.

"We're getting under way, Kix. That's an order." I bite the inside of my cheek.

"Sir, as the team medic, when it comes to the health of the men, including you," he speaks slowly, "I outrank everyone." The last words are faster, as though they hurt to leave his mouth. "So, I respectfully order you, sir, to get some—" A quiet cough from behinds us stops him mid-sentence.

"Excuse me." The farmer says, holding a plate laden with food. "If there's not enough..." Jesse walks over.

"That's plenty, ma'am. Thank you, eh..."

"Suu." She answers. A floating metal ball goes past them. The children run in after it. "Ahg. I told you to stay in the house." She says to the girl. The child runs under the bench after her toy.

"I couldn't help it, momma. It got away." She straightens and looks at Rex in surprise. "You look like my daddy." She says innocently.

"Shayeeah, don't bother the soldier. Now get inside with your brother." Suu scolds.

"Yes, mom." The little girl trudges away from Rex. The mother hands the small plater of food to Jesse.

"My husband is away, delivering the first harvest. Do you require anything else?" She puts a hand on her hip.

"No...thank you, Suu." Jesse says, shaking his head.

"Hm." She grunts before catching sight of me. "Strange, for a child to be traveling with soldiers."

"'A child' is one of the soldiers, ma'am." I say respectfully. She cocks her head, then leaves. Kix puts one of Rex's blasters beside the Captain as Rex talks.

"Resume the search without me. Jesse, you're in command." The trooper nods with a slight smile of acknowledgement as he puts down the tray of food near his CO. "I'll be fine." Rex lies back down with a sigh. I look around. Outside of the Mess, friendship is put on hold. This is where regulations are used.

"Sir, I'd like to stay with the Captain. I can't drive a speeder anyway." I say.

"Request granted." Jesse says briskly. They start walking out. He puts a hand on my shoulder. "Take care of him, Twitch." He murmurs before leaving. I resume sitting on the fence, the animals behind me quietly braying. The night wears on as I watch the entrance and occasionally look at my friend.

After a while, I step out to relieve myself. I've just finished when I hear a clattering in the barn. I run in and see a tall man pointing a sharp tool at Rex. I sneak up behind him, kick his head and jump between the two, arm-blades sliding out and I draw both guns.

"Put the tool down, NOW!" I order. He looks at us.

"Who are you? What are _you_ doing here?" He asks, looking first at me, then Rex. I see his face in the moonlight. My eyes widen. Rex has noticed too.

"You're a clone." We say at the same time, though our tones are complete opposites. The man leans against the tool.

"So, I see the war finally made its way out here. And I can expect a visit from some droids soon." I fix him in a glare.

"You can expect a visit from my blasters if you try anything." I snarl.

"Twitch, stand down." Rex orders. I obediently put my guns in my holsters, but the arm-blades stay out. "All your weapons. That's an order." I sheath them with secret reluctance and move so the two men can look at each other, but I stay at an angle in which I can intervene in a blink. The newcomer gives me a wary look. The Captain glares at him. "What's your number and rank?" The man smiles.

"Heh. My _name_ is Lawquane. Cut Lawquane. And I'm just a simple farmer." Rex sits up. I look at him worriedly. He shouldn't be moving like that after getting shot. I know it better than most.

"You're a deserter." He accuses.

"Well, well. I like to think I'm merely exercising my freedom to choose." Cut replies. I find that I can't feel angry at him. I would be a hypocrite to be furious with anyone who's left the Republic, yet didn't join Separatists. Lawquane puts down the tool. "To choose not to kill for a living." He adds.

"That is not your choice to make." Rex says while Lawquane turns on the lights. I glance at my friend when he says that. He catches the look and his scowl softens slightly, then re-hardens when the deserter turns around. "You swore an oath to the Republic. You have a duty." The Captain sounds like he's giving a rookie a scolding.

"I have a duty, you're right, but it's to my family. Does that count, or do you still plan to turn me in?" He says, looking the wounded soldier in his eye.

"Do I have a choice?" Rex demands, scowling just as well as I can.

"Daddy! You're home!" The little Twi'lek girl runs in. While Cut is looking away, I lightly swat Rex on the back of his head. He deserved it. He looks at me irritably. Lawquane picks up and hugs his daughter.

"Look what I drew you, dad." The son says, showing a doodle of a Twi'lek. Cut laughs and rubs the hat on his son's head.

"Well, well, well. That's great, Jek."

"I see you three have met." Suu says, sweeping an upturned hand at us. She has no idea.

"He looks just like you, daddy. I _told_ him." Shayeeah says.

"Oh, you did, huh?" She nods enthusiastically. I give a wry smile.

_The innocence of a child. Wait, this makes me an aunt. Oops._

"I was just making our guests, Twitch and Captain...what's your number?"

"Rex. I also have a name, believe it or not." The tension is wearing on me.

"He was injured. His men brought him here. I told them he can stay, just for the night." Suu explains. She must know about what Cut is, because she doesn't seem affected by the similarities.

"'Course he can. We never turn those away in need, do we?" He looks at his children.

"No. We always help anyone we can." Jek answers.

"Right." Cut stands and looks at us.

"You, um. You look hungry."

"No, I—I'm fine I'll stay here. Twitch?" He looks at me.

"Thank you, but I'm staying with Rex." I say.

"Noo. You have to eat with us! Please?" Jek starts.

"Pleaaase?" His sister squeaks. Lawquane laughs. The kids continue chattering and begging.

"They're never going to stop until you say yes." Rex looks at me uncomfortably and I smirk.

"Alright, we'll join you." The children cheer loudly. Cut gives Rex a hand and helps him get on his feet. That, I can tell, was painful for my friend. The two men smile wryly at each other. I stay at the Captain's side straight until he's sitting at the dinner table next to me. After more back and forth debating, I pay more attention.

"Yes, well, you and I may be clones, Captain, but we're still individuals. You have a name rather than a number, Captain. Why is that?" I shift uncomfortably. This is a touchy subject.

"Perhaps our leaders feel that it is a more efficient way of distinguishing us." Rex says.

"A lot faster than using numbers." I add.

"More efficient than a number? Hmm, doubt the Kaminoans think that way." I scowl at him for a second before relaxing my face. The kids don't need to see how uncomfortable this is. "Still, a name has to make you feel unique. Especially in an army where everyone looks like you, and talks like you—"

"Actually, I've never really thought about it." Rex admits. Come to think about it, neither have I. I've always been CT–3758 or Twitch.

"Yes, you have." Cut corrects.

"How would you know?" The Captain challenges.

"Because I'm as close to you as any life form can be." The deserter says, leaning close to Rex while handing him his plate. I cough loudly, breaking their gazes. Cut glances at me and I give him a warning look.

"I've seen how you look at my family, our home. Come on, Rex. You've thought about what life could be like if you left the army. Chose a life you want." Rex not a soldier doesn't process in my brain.

"What if I _am_ choosing the life I want? What if I'm staying in the army because it's meaningful to me?" I nod while chewing. Rex just summed up a good part of my view on the Republic and my life.

"And how is it meaningful?" Cut asks. I'm getting tired of him challenging everything we say regarding the army.

"Because we're part of the most pivotal moment in the history of the Republic. If we fail, then our children, and their children could be forced to live under an evil I can't well imagine." He's right. This is something that we fight for and will continue to do so until our last breaths.

"If you were to have children, of course, but, that would be against the rules, wouldn't it? Isn't that what somebody programmed you to believe, Captain?" He's pushing his luck. Bringing up programming is a dangerous move. I'm waiting for Rex to get himself out of this.

"Cut..." I say quietly, letting my expression do the rest.

"No, Cut. It's simply what I believe. Doesn't matter wether it's my children or other people's children. Does _that_ meet with your approval?" I realize my finger is tapping fervently against my napkin. Tension does this to me, every time.

"Perfectly. To each is own, that's what I always say." Says the one who's criticized everything we say about the Republic.

"What does that mean, daddy?" Shayeeah asks.

"It means you get to do whatever you want with your life that you like to." He explains. He looks at me, his mouth opening, probably planning to try talking me out of the army. I raise a hand.

"Not a chance in the galaxy."

* * *

_A.N. ~ so, Chapter Nineteen will be around in 48 hours. PLEASE REVIEW! I really want to hear from you guys! It encourages me to keep posting._


	19. Home

Later on, Rex and Cut start at a game of dejarik chess, leading to Rex getting one of Cut's avatars.

"Good move. _Very_ good move." The deserter comments. I'm leaning against the wall, arms crossed and just staying near my injured Captain.

"So, what was it?" Rex asks.

"What made me decide to leave the call?" Lawquane sighs, his voice sad. "Shortly after the battle of Geonosis, our troop transport got caught between two Separatist gunships. They fired on us with everything they had. We crashed. Most of us were either dead or, severely injured. So, when they started working their way through the wounded, killing us off, I knew there was no hope. I ran. Hhh. It still haunts me." I wasn't there, I didn't see exactly what the situation was, but I know I wouldn't have left my brothers to die.

"I'm sorry." Rex's voice is genuine. Cut stands.

"It's the day I felt my life didn't have any meaning. Everyone I cared about; my team, was gone. I was just another expendable clone, waiting for my turn to be slaughtered in a war that made no sense to me." He moves towards his family, who are cuddling together, one child on either side of Suu. "Can you understand that, Rex?" He asks.

"I've been in countless battles, and lost many brothers. They were my family, my home." Everyone is quiet for a few seconds, faces wearing masks of sorrow. Rex glances at me, but my face is carefully blank.

"Daddy, we've finished our chores. Can we go outside and play?" Shayeeah pleads.

"Pleaaaase?" Jek adds.

"Okay. Only for a few minutes." He concedes. The kids cheer and scramble out the door.

"You'd be surprised to know some things about us." Rex says. He looks at me for the go ahead and I nod. Cut isn't going to rat me out.

"For example, I was a deserter, too." I finish.

"You're not old enough to even be a soldier." Lawquane points out.

"In most cases, that's true, but I'm an exception." Rex takes up after me.

"Twitch is more like us than you think." The implement hangs in the air.

"So you're a..." Cut trails off. I nod.

"To the Kaminoans, a mistake that had to be studied. I had no life on the battlefield ahead of me. I left three years ago. Rejoined two months back."

"In between, she operated against the Separatists alone. Even managed to miff Dooku." The Captain finishes. I rub the back of my head.

"I didn't really... I mean..."

"Twitch, he sent a bounty hunter after you. You got him angry."

"So...you _wanted_ to fight?" Suu asks. I nod.

"Every planet I visited with Separatists on it made me want to resist them even more. You have no idea of some of the things I saw them doing. And they showed no mercy, to adults _or_ children." I say.

"Huh. Now that I really look at you..." The deserter comments.

Screaming from the kids gets Cut and I to the door in seconds. Cut's daughter runs into his arms and Suu scoops up Jek.

"Monsters, they're chasing us!" The young girl whimpers.

"Tetete what monsters, honey, where?" Suu orders.

"They hatched from the big egg in the field." Shayeeah says. Cut grabs a pair of electrobinoculars and looks over the landscape.

"Oh, this is not good. I count twenty." He mutters.

"Cut, what's out there?" Suu asks, still holding Jek.

"Commando droids." He answers.

"What are they doing?" Rex demands, clicking into battle mode.

"Suu, get the children upstairs." Lawquane orders.

"Come, come children, come now." The Twi'lek herds.

"What weapons do you have?" Rex asks after Lawquane bolts the door. I unsheathe my arm-blades and take out my guns. This is going to be difficult. The deserter opens a cabinet, revealing several varying guns.

"We can catch them in a crossfire. You take that corner." Rex orders.

"No, Captain." Cut says while handing him a gun. "With respect, you're not in charge here." I tense. This is one of the first times I've ever seen anyone openly disagree with Rex.

"But, I can be useful." He says. I step up.

"So can I." Cut looks at me and hesitates. "Look, I've been up against worse than commando droids and in a lot more dangerous situations."

"Sir, hhh. You're injured. You have only one good arm." The deserter protests, looking back to Rex.

"He can shoot with either hand." I point out.

"I can fight." The Captain insists.

"So can I. Rex, I need you and Twitch to be the last line of defence for my family. Rex sighs.

"I'll take care of them." When I stay put, Cut looks at me.

"The first line of defence is just as important as the last. You two say what you like. I haven't had a good fight in weeks."

"Oh, boy." Rex smiles despite our situation. Cut looks at him desperately. "Sorry, Cut. She isn't going to move wether I order it or not. She gets twitchy if she doesn't fight on a regular basis."

"Fine, then. You're with me." We turn off all the lights, bolt the doors, and kneel back to back, me facing one door and him facing the other. I aim my guns, keeping my wrists straight like Fives taught me. I can hear footsteps outside, a shadow crosses Cut's door. Suddenly my door opens and a bunch of shooting commando droids walk in.

I shoot one, he gets another. I block a shot with my arm-blades, then roll to the side, not stopping with the trigger once. I'm not sure which of us got the third, but it goes down. I lean against one side of the door frame, he mirrors me.

My blood is starting to pump a little faster, my body catching on that I'm fighting again. A grin creeps over my face. Cut glares at me and I shrug. A droid grabs him around the neck through a window. Another does it to me. I point a gun behind my head and shoot. It let's go. Cut smacks his droid with his head and shoots it.

After three minutes of nerve-wracking silence, a creak comes from below us. Cut opens a trap door and three more droids file in. I holster my weapons and attack one using arm-blades. The other two turn to face me and get shot down by Lawquane. I'm not used to sparring with my blades, but this one has weapons of its own.

I duck and block another swing of its vibrosword before gashing its chest and kicking it away. Two laser bolts end it. Another three appear and shoot a beam, landing the heavy wood on top of Cut. It scrapes my right leg, making the cut bleed. I'm not pinned, and know my priorities. More come in as I kick his gun into his hand and attack the last droid that didn't manage to slip past us. I cut its head off and shoot the one in front of it. I know at least four more got past.

"Rex, you've got incoming!" I shout up the stairs. More droids come in. Cut shoves the wood off him, crushing one enemy and hitting another with a board. He punches the last, but I can't watch him while sparring with two commandos at once. I can hear blaster fire upstairs.

I shoot one of my opponents, then behead the last. A loud crash sends Rex down beside Cut. Lawquane's droid grabs Rex around the neck. I flash of anger goes through me. My laser bolt hits just as Cut's does. Rex coughs and leans against the wall.

"Da—daddy? Daddy?" Jek calls, looking through the hole in the ceiling.

"I'm okay." He stands up, smiling. "It's over." I limp to Rex. He's straightened himself. I know that if I'd done what he just did a few hours after getting shot, I would be dead.

"Is everyone okay?" I ask.

"Yes." Suu says. The other two give the 'okay'.

"What about you?" Rex asks, looking at my bloody leg."

"Just a scratch. Looks worse than it is." I assure him.

* * *

_A.N. ~ sorry this chapter is so short, but the next one is a little longer! Chapter Twenty will be out for you guys to see in the next 48 hours. Please, PLEASE review. What you guys say, wether you're a critic or an encourager, motivates me. _

Rex_: sounding desperate, much?_

Fives_: give the kid a break. She gets to write what she wants on here._

Me_: alright, while those two discuss who gets to post what where, I'll be doing stuff..._


	20. Suck It Up!

In the morning, my body is aching from the night before, and I'm tired from no sleep, but I feel the usual contentment of surviving a battle where only droids died. Rex is in his armour, getting ready to leave. The bite marks on my left shoulder are just scars now, a reminder of shore leave. Soon, Rex is saddling the eopie Cut has loaned us.

"Alright, that should do it." He announces.

"Captain Rex, Twitch," Suu prompts, "are you going to turn in my husband?" I know what I will do, but Rex... I look at him.

"Sorry, Suu. It's my duty." He says. My eyes widen and I bite the inside of my cheek hard. "But in my condition, I probably won't remember any of this." I smile in relief.

"Don't look at me. I was in the barn with Rex the whole time." I say.

"Thank you!" She gasps, snuggling closer to her lover.

"You're still a deserter, Cut, but you're certainly _not_ a coward." Rex says before his comm beeps.

"Captain Rex, are you and Twitch still with us?" The soldier raises his arm up, a sign that the nerve damage has healed.

"Yes, General Kenobi. We're still with you, and thankfully on the mend, sir."

"That's great news. We certainly missed you two at the party."

"Sorry, sir. I had to attend to one of my own." He says, looking at the Lawquane family.

"Can't wait to hear about it." I grab Rex's arm.

"What? We missed all the fun?" I complain.

"I'm afraid you did. We're standing by." The comm goes off.

"Your welcome to stay, you two." Cut offers. Tick, tick tick tick tick BOOM, is what would happen to me on a neutral planet.

"I can't speak for Twitch, but this is your home, Cut. My family is elsewhere."

"Thank you for offering, but I'm staying with my brothers. For good, this time." I say.

"Goodbye." The kids call. Rex gets on the animal, placing his helmet on the back. I walk beside him and wave a couple times before turning to look ahead.

§ § §

"So you really aren't turning Cut in?" The Captain asks. I look at him in shock.

"No, and if you do, I swear I'll never talk to you again."

"Good thing I don't want to turn him in, then."

"Yeah. And please never talk about deserters like they betrayed the Republic. The only difference between me and Cut is that he settled down."

"And you came back." Rex points out.

"No, actually, I got shot and was taken on the cruiser."

"But you still stayed."

"At first, that wasn't my plan. I was going to help fight on Umbara, then slip off into the jungle." He looks at me from his seat on the eopie.

"So, what changed your mind?" I think about it.

"Hardcase, Fives, Tup...you. I wasn't going to sit still and be anyone's science project, but I _was_ going to accept the consequences of my actions and stay with my brothers."

"Just like when they flew those Umbaran star fighters against orders."

"Pretty much, except the Jedi I was defying didn't want me dead."

"You really are complicated." He says. I chuckle.

"I'll save you a load of sleep now and tell you to never try understanding a woman. Especially me. Your head would explode before you figured it out." I decide that admitting that I'd been listening is easier than avoiding it all the time.

"You were eavesdropping."

"Well, I wouldn't have been if you guys had just asked me why I'd been upset. You would eavesdrop too, if your only friends were talking about you behind your back." I argue.

"Would you have told us if we asked?" Rex demands. No, I wouldn't. I would have made up an excuse. My silence answers for me.

"What difference would it make if you did or didn't know? One of you said it was something I had to deal with on my own."

"That was me, and you're right. I _did_ say that and it _is_ something none of us can fix." He concedes. I nod before hopping onto one of the tall plants and jumping from one to the other, getting a better view of our path.

"We're almost there. Think you can make it without that eopie?" He hops off, putting on his helmet. He turns the animal back around and swats it on its hip. It lumbers away, knowing the direction of home. I jump down and hover close to Rex.

"Know what I don't get?" He grunts. "How I was up and fighting in two hours, while you had to be kept in bed all that time."

"My DNA renders bacta less effective, though, you _should _have stayed still. Two more inches and it would have hit your heart."

"Would you have preferred I stayed in the barn?" He asks.

"No. I'm just worried that I might have to carry you the rest of the way."

"Well, it isn't comfortable, I'll give you that, but you couldn't carry me if your life depended on it." I smile. In armour, he is fairly heavy.

"Did you almost _complain_? Should I be preparing for the apocalypse or something?" He swats the back of my head. We get past the last few plants and enter a clearing. The hard-packed earth is dusty, and across from us is a larty. Kenobi turns and spots us, starting to walk over. I stand at attention beside Rex.

"At ease. How are you feeling, Captain?"

"Ready for action, sir."

"And you, Twitch?"

"Regretting that I missed the fight, sir." He smiles at us.

"Well, then, get back to the ship. We're going to Plytunon." I smirk, the expression not missed by either superior officer.

"Something wrong?" Rex asks.

"Oh, I might have been there a few times, upset some Separatist lieutenant." I get wry smiles. "What?"

"When you upset anyone, it usually means they're going to want you dead for years." Rex points out.

"Not all the time! I mean, Fives didn't shoot me during training." They exchange looks and smiles. "But I'm still coming, right?" I say quickly.

"You'll have to ask General Skywalker and his Padawan." I stand at attention just as Rex does and we walk away.

"How exactly did you upset a lieutenant?" The Captain asks.

"Sabotage, attacks on his droids, tried to assassinate him, stuff like that."

"You sure you aren't an ARC in disguise?"

"You never know."

§ § §

"There's General Skywalker. Good luck."

"Thanks, Rex." I'm about to walk away when he puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Look, if he says no, don't try sneaking down there. It would do more harm than good."

"As much as I want to argue with that, you're right." He lets me go and I walk slowly towards the Jedi.

"Twitch, I hear you and Rex got a little held up on Saleucami." Skywalker greets.

"Yes, sir. I hear you're heading to Plytunon."

"Yes." He studies me for a few moments. "You want to come."

"Yes." The second he had ended the 'm' sound I spoke.

"Do you know what the mission is?" I shake my head.

"I haven't had the chance to ask, yet."

"But you have an idea of it?"

"I tried to assassinate one of the Separatist lieutenants once, so yes, sir."

"I'm already bringing Rex, Ahsoka, Fives and General Kenobi. How could you contribute?"

"I specialize in quick exits, diversions, and wiring astromechs to explode. I'm sure there's something I can do to help. I also know how to set traps and snares"

"Example of a trap?"

"Once, I dug a pit at the bottom of a hill, made the wall opposite the peak highest and camouflaged it. When the droids fell inside, I sent a boulder down and crushed them all."

"You did it all yourself?"

"Yes, sir."

"Anything else that you could do to help?"

"I can make a bomb out of pretty much anything and creatively set things on fire." I can also climb almost any vertical surface."

"And you say you aren't good at anything."

"Off the battlefield, it's true."

"Hmm. We leave at eighteen hundred. Get down here on time or you'll be left behind."

"Yes, sir." I salute and leave for the Mess. I have four hours. I get my food and sit down at an empty table. Fives is at another spot talking with men I've never met before. Tup is with him, but they're too engaged to notice me.

I've gotten over the awkwardness of coming here and accepted that any troops who haven't seen me before are going to stare for a period of time.

Kix and Jesse come in when I'm nearly finished eating. I watch as they look between my empty table and the lively conversation at Fives' one. I keep a nonchalant face, determined not to influence their decision. I'm not much for pity.

"You look calm. Should we be worried?" Jesse teases, taking a spot across from me.

"No. So, how's life off island?" I change the subject. Kix sits to my right. He raises an empty hand and I raise my fork.

"The cut won't magically disappear if you keep touching it." I warn.

"Do you remember anything." He asks.

"No, and I'll tell you if I do." Meaning, 'stop asking'.

"So, what have you been up to?" Jesse asks.

"Getting a spot on the Plytunon mission."

"How did you pull that off?" Kix asks.

"Persistence and the knowledge of hardwiring exploding astromechs." They chuckle.

"How'd you learn that?" Jesse murmurs.

"By chance. I was trying to reprogram one and it blew up in my face."

"You do not have permission to work on the transport ships." He says.

"I would get us all killed if I did." I agree.

"What time are you leaving?" Kix finally speaks.

"Eighteen hundred."

"Better eat while you can, then." Jesse points out.

"I still have three and a half hours." I mumble, peering at the clock.

"Kaysh guur'skraan." Kix says, looking at Jesse.

"Haili cetare, Kix." I say.

He looks at me, amused, before ordering, "translate."

"You said 'she loves her food', and I replied 'fill your boots', which means 'tuck in', in this case."

"You've been studying Mando'a, then." Jesse comments.

"I fight a lot. That doesn't mean I don't know how to read." I say, smiling.

"'Course it doesn't, little di'kut." Jesse says, mixing both languages together affectionately.

"Change of subject, where are you two going?" I query.

"Helping out with some rookies back on Kamino." Kix answers.

"That'll be fun."

"Joke?" The Medic checks.

"Yes."

"I still wonder how a shiny got a mission made for ARCs." Jesse muses.

"A shiny who has three years of field experience." I swallow the last of my food.

"You're going to be trying to take out bit by bit of a lot of droids." Jesse warns.

"Good. Some action would be nice."

"Maybe." Kix says. I spot Rex coming in. He joins us without even glancing at the noisy table seating Fives and Tup.

"So, what've you three been up to?" He asks.

"Eating, talking in Mando'a." I answer.

"You speak Mando'a?" He asks critically.

"Bits and pieces, ner vod."

"You know you just called him your brother, right?" Kix says.

"I thought 'ner vod' could be translated to 'my friend', too. Oops." I say, keeping calm. I had meant it as 'my brother', but the less formal translation provides an effective cover.

"She's right, that's another meaning for it." Rex saves me.

"Maybe I should reread some of those files. Must be getting rusty." The Medic mumbles.

"Maybe you should. Good luck memorizing the whole thing, though." I reply.

"Big, huh adiik?" Rex says.

"Just so we all know, I have a name." I say good naturedly.

"Yeah, and it's starting to show." Jesse flicks his head toward my hand. I look down and realize my fingers are drumming against the table. I stop them and look up, turning red.

"Sorry. Been too long since my last fight."

"Last fight ended with you stuck under a gigantic ape." Kix reminds me.

"That was days ago. And I mean fight as in getting shot at." I catch Rex's eye. If they only knew about the Lawquane incident. I glance at the clock. Still three hours to burn.

"Well, you're going to have to k'atini for the next little while." Rex says.

"Sorry, haven't learned 'k'atini' yet. What does it mean?" I ask.

"Suck it up." Kix and Jesse say. I start tapping my foot.

* * *

_A.N. ~ so, by now anyone reading this should know my usual estimated timeframe for new chapters, and that I'm going to ask you to please positively and negatively review, so I'll save my writing space ;)_

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS:**

**Kaysh Guur'skraan: [KAYSH goor SCRAHN] he/she loves his/her food (said of someone who has a healthy appetite)**

**Haili Cetare: [HI-lee set-ARH-ay] tuck in! Enjoy! Lit. 'Fill your boots!'**

**Di'kut: [DEE-koot] idiot, fool, dummy (friendly or insulting depending on tone)**

**Ner Vod: [nair vohd] my brother, my sister, (or, less formally,) my friend**

**Adiik: [AH-deek] child aged 3 to 13**

**K'atini: [kah-TEEN-ee] suck it up! Or: it's only pain!**


	21. Droid Bait

_A.N. ~ Its been a slow day. I'm bored. So, here's another chapter. Plus, I've got the spare time, which always helps ;)_

_P.S. ~ I OWN NOTHING OF STAR WARS EXCEPT MY OCs, OPs, and OTs!_

* * *

The ride down is smooth and uneventful, though we have to be dropped off over twenty klicks from the city, in a forest, to be sure not to get shot down. I have DC–17s in both holsters, and my gauntlets are on, though that isn't very unusual.

We will have to jump onto the tops of the trees from the deck because of no landing point. I'm tapping my foot inside of my shoe. I'm not nervous, though, I'm excited. The doors slide open. I look down, point at my tree just like the others so I don't collide with anyone, then jump off at the go ahead. Fear and adrenaline rushes through me.

The trees resemble tall firs, so when I hit the top of mine, I reach through the needles and grab the smooth trunk. I swing around a couple times due to momentum, then look at the others. Everyone made it.

I start climbing down, and my progress doubles when I can use the branches. I start hopping down like a bird. My small size and considerable lack of weight compared to the others allows me to used the higher up limbs, so I'm a little ahead of everyone else, until the Jedi simply jump to the ground from thirty feet up.

I step on a dead branch and it breaks off. After a full backflip, I right myself and catch a branch. I get a little closer to the trunk and let go, falling onto another branch and continuing my earlier movements. Fives and Rex are neck to neck with me, and we all jump down at the same time.

I shoulder my backpack filled with grenades and droid poppers. This is going to be fun. In Rex's pack, there's spare energy cells for our guns along with canteens full of water. Fives's pack contains ration bars and a pair of electrobinoculars.

I guess my load should be heavy, but my energy is making up for it. The Jedi have packs filled with assortments of useful knick knacks and devices. Skywalker looks at the rising sun and walks away from it. I follow him beside the others, bringing up the rear. Rex and Ahsoka are quietly talking, so are the older Jedi. Fives pairs up with me.

"So, how did you manage to get down here?" He asks. I smile faintly.

"You're forgetting that I used to do things like this on a daily basis. That, and I'm atin."

"I thought I heard Mando'a coming from your table."

"You did. I've been studying it in my spare time." I vault over a fallen tree. The forest is thick here.

"I thought you said studying is boring."

"I did. Did it anyway."

"You're impossible to understand."

"Fives, if you ever try understanding me, your head will explode." Not the exact words, but close.

"Probably. Haar'chak!" The curse catches me off guard. It was provoked, though, seeing how he's hanging from one foot five feet off the ground in a snare.

"Copaani gaan?" I say, smiling. The mighty ARC trooper caught in the most simple snare of this universe.

"Yes. Maybe some arm-blades." He says. The others have turned around to see what the commotion is about. I scurry up the smooth tree trunk. This one has no low branches. I get to one with a wire tied to it.

"I'm cutting it in three seconds. Don't fall on your head." I call down. A couple moments later, I slice the rope and watch my friend land, somehow, on his feet. I climb back down and grab the wire, looping it around my hand as we resume walking. Fives looks at it, probably incredulous. "What? If a simple trap like that caught an ARC trooper, those droids are going to have a miserable day." He smacks the back of my head.

"Thanks for getting me down. Di'kut."

"Di'kut yourself." I mutter. I feel something closing around my leg and curl just as I'm lifted up, cutting the rope before it becomes taut in one fluent motion. I flip backwards once while moving forward and land on my feet. Fives had been watching. I do a mocking-yet-elegant bow before starting to walk again. I hop on one foot while keeping pace and pull the loop off from around my ankle.

"I'm not the only one." He teases.

"I got out of mine alone. You needed help or would have taken time. There's a difference."

"Copaani mirshmure'cye, vod?" I roll my eyes.

"Try it and you lose a hand."

"Then I better not try it." We're making good time. Rex hands me a canteen. I take a swig, pass it to the ARC and watch as it travels from person to person until back to the Captain. He puts it back while walking.

§ § §

It's about noon when we reach the end of the forest. I look at the city. Filled with droids. Now I look at my two brothers and the Jedi. Fully armoured and recognizable.

"So your plan is to just walk in there and _hope_ no droids realize you're Republicans?" I say.

"No, _you_ are going to walk in there and draw them to us." Skywalker says. He wouldn't have come down here unless that was his plan all along, so...

"You knew I would want to come." I accuse.

"Yes." Skywalker and Kenobi say.

"Huh." I grunt, smiling. I sneak out of the trees. "So you just want me to get them over here, no questions asked?" I check.

"As long as you don't bring the whole army, yes, that's the idea." Kenobi says.

"Okay." I walk toward the gate, a good place to start. I march right up to a battle droid.

§ § §

REX'S P.O.V.

"This'll be good." I say, watching as my little sister heads towards a B-1 battle droid.

"You can say that again, Captain." General Kenobi agrees. Ahsoka is smiling and Fives watching, probably with a smirk under his helmet. I look on as Twitch pulls the droid's head off and throws it into another's cranial unit. She side kicks one more and then backs up. They shoot at her, but the red laser bolts are deflected. She starts running back towards us, looking over her shoulder.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

The surprise the droids had registered before firing had been priceless. I'm grinning as I dodge back into the trees.

"Hi, guys. By the way, they're bringing the tank."

"What?" Rex asks.

"They are bringing the tank. Nothing a couple grenades won't fix." I take two out and hand him one. He grips it and waits. Once the tank is close enough, we nod and sprint out of the trees.

I hop on top of the advancing machine and open the hatch, kicking the droid's head before throwing in the explosive. I jump to the lower part, then to the ground, cutting up a few of the droids on my way. Come to think of it, there are only regulars battle droids. The tank explodes. I start fighting instead of running, then duck back inside the trees' cover as soon as I destroy the last one.

"You want to go again." Fives guesses.

"Heck, yes." I say, grinning.

"Leave a few for us next time." He jokes. I look at the unguarded gates.

"There will be some. I'll have to go into the city to get the next group. Be right back." I jump out and run to the wall, then casually walk in. A group of super battle droids are talking. I turn on my comm.

"Going to be a bit harder." Is all I risk saying. I let out all my breath and don't let any air in for a few seconds, then run over to the droids, pretending to be panicked. "Help, please, you must help! There's a monster in the jungle!" I gasp. They turn and look at me. I've done things like this before, so this is just a review.

"Repeat. You claim to have seen a monster. Where?" One asks.

"A monster in the woods. Please, you have to kill it! Come on, I'll show you where it is." I stumble towards the gate and can hear them following. I can't believe how stupid they are.

We're halfway to the trees. I signal with my hand for my friends to go a bit farther, though it's subtle and right in front of my thigh to hide from the droids. I hope the others get the message.

"Where is this monster?" One asks.

"Just a little bit farther into the trees. Oh, please, you must kill it!" I pretend to be almost crying.

"Remain here, ma'am. We will go the rest of the way alone." I stay put and watch them go in. Stupid super battle droids. After twenty seconds, I hear blasting and the sound of lightsabers. I run into the woods and see the mangled remains of my 'rescuers'. I smirk and say;

"Droids will believe anything."

"What'd you do this time?" Ahsoka asks.

"Told them there was a monster in the forest. Begged them to come kill it." She rolls her eyes.

"Well, you better go spread news of this terrible creature." Obi-Wan says.

"Yes, sir." I agree enthusiastically. I leave the trees and go back in the city, not breathing while running. My face is flushed and I'm gasping by the time I find more droids; B1s this time.

"Monster! A horrible creature in the woods. Please, oh, please, help!" I had pinched myself to the point of tears and let the salty water fall from my eyes.

"A monster? We better call for reinforcements." One says.

"Roger, roger." The others chime.

"It'll take too long. You're big, strong soldiers, aren't you? I'm sure if we hurried, you could kill it." the droid hesitates.

"I don't know. Maybe we should—" I grab its shoulders.

"You have to kill it!" I scream in its face.

"Easy, ma'am. We'll take care of it. Now, show us where this creature is."

"Thank you. Oh, thank you." I sob. I lead them into the trees.

"Be on your guard. This monster could be anywhere." The leading droid says. There are muttered 'roger, roger's from them. Once I'm sure we are far enough, I stop.

"Here's the danger." I say, my voice steady.

"Where? I don't see anything." One says. A shot takes it down. I let my arm-blades slide out and behead the nearest one. They shoot at me, at the trees, anything. One tries grabbing my arm and I shoot it. The last one gets hit by three blue bolts, one from the left, then the right, and finally in front in quick succession. It falls over.

"If you hid these droid parts, this would be a great ambush site." I hint before leaving. Back in the city, there are more droids looking around. I decide to push my luck and try the monster routine one more time.

"Big batch. Be ready, monsters." I mutter before running over to a group of twenty regular and super battle droids. I go through the motions, crying, gasping, begging for help. They, of course, follow me without question. We've just reached the gates when a regular battle droid who isn't with us runs up.

"Hey, wait a minute. This is the third group of droids you've taken out there. What's going on?" It challenges.

"There's a terrible monster in the woods. Come, please, come and help! We will need every excellent shot available." The flattery works like a charm and I lead them to the clearing. As soon as they all are in, I roll to the nearest tree and shoot two, one per blaster. The Jedi all jump out, lightsabers whirling around. I shoot while they cut until no droid is left standing. I smile.

"That monster routine is getting worn thin. I'll be making hurried entrances for a while."

"Be careful." Anakin says.

"Yes, sir." I jog back to the city, Ahsoka following and watching from the trees, waiting to see what I'll bring back so I don't have to use my comm. I run up to a group of droids, shoot three of them, cut one more, and turn around, running. They chase me into the woods.

As soon as I'm in the clearing, I loop back and head for the city. I continue the process until I have to lean against a tree after the fighting. We have destroyed seven squadrons of droids so far. Fives appears through the brush and hands me a canteen.

"Thanks." I say before swigging a few gulps. He packs it and hands me a ration bar afterwards, which I devour in a few swift bites. As soon as I feel better, I get ready. The sun will be down in a few minutes, so there's time for one more group.

I get in the city, looking around for any droid I can lure away. I spot five commando droids. This is the challenge of the day. I shoot at them and they waste no time charging me. I turn tail and run for it. Outside of the gate, I spot a flash of red as the Padawan goes to tell the others.

I notice I'm losing ground to my perusers, so I push myself harder, and reach the edge of the clearing just as one gets its hands around my neck. I kick it and cut an arm off, then scramble backwards, coughing. The shooting starts, along with the Jedi. I'm still coughing when a droid shoots at me. I deflect it, not even sparing it a second glance. The fight ends quickly. General Kenobi uses the Force and sends the parts into the trees, probably on a pile judging from the clanging. I finish hacking and shake my head.

"So, one more round?" I ask hoarsely.

"No. We all need a break. Let's call it a night." Anakin orders. Rex and Fives come out of cover, taking their helmets off. After a pause, I swivel my head around, eyes narrowing.

"What's wrong, Twitch?" Rex checks.

"Could've sworn I heard something." I mutter.

"You're paranoid, remember? You'll feel better in the morning." Fives says.

"Yeah, probably." I still feel unsettled. That noise seemed so familiar...

* * *

_A.N. ~ you guys know the drill. 48 hours, please review, and over all, enjoy!_

Tup:_ vocal flash training. Why didn't I think of that?_

Fives: _yeah, I could've taught Twitch a lot faster._

Twitch: _should I be offended by that?_

Fives *looking innocently at Twitch*: _of course not! Would I ever offend you?_

Twitch: _do I even need to dignify that question with an answer?_

Me: _don't you guys have somewhere to be? You know, other than arguing in my note?_

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS:**

**Atin: [ah-TEEN] stubborn, tenacious, capable of endurance**

**Haar'chak: [HAR-chak] damn it**

**Copaani Gaan: [Koh-PAN-nee gahn] need a hand?**

**Copaani Mirsh'mure Cye, Vod?: [Koh-PAH-nee MEERSH-moo-RAY-shay, vohd?] are you looking for a smack in the face, mate?**


	22. Run And Hide

_Separatist recon droid! That's what I'd heard!_

I almost fall off the tree branch I was sleeping on. I untie the wire around my waist and put it in my pack. I climb down in the dark, almost falling a few times. Rex is on watch.

"That noise I heard earlier. Recon droid." I startle him with my voice.

"You're sure?" He checks.

"With my past, yes."

"Wake the others." He orders. I climb Fives' tree and shake him.

"Score one for paranoia. Pack up and meet in the clearing." I whisper.

"What's going on?" He mumbles.

"Recon droid. Not safe to be here. Move, now." I say quickly. I hop into Skywalker's fir next.

"General, that was a recon droid earlier. Time to move." I explain. I continue the process with the other two Jedi and hop to the ground. We all gather and I look around.

"Twitch, are you sure that's what you heard? As Fives said, you _are_ a little paranoid." Kenobi says.

"I've heard those droids a hundred times. I'm sure. Better safe than sorry, anyways." I assure.

"And besides. Last time you ignored your paranoia, you got caught by a Trandoshan." Rex says.

"Thank you." I say. At least _someone_ thinks I'm right. Even if he wounded my pride in the process.

"Then we'd better get moving and find a new spot." Ahsoka says.

"Too late." Fives growls. I look around again. The glowing eyes of commando droids are surrounding the clearing. The Jedi circle around us, but I shove my way into the protective circle's rim. I can block laser bolts just as well as any Jedi, thank you.

They draw their lightsabers and I release my arm-blades. The droids shoot at us immediately. The soldiers are returning fire over our shoulders while I shoot with one hand and block with the other. Soon I'm relying on Rex and Fives to destroy them, because I've holstered my gun and am using both arms to stay alive right now

"See...what happens...when you ignore paranoia?" I yell over the noise.

"Yes. From now on, we listen to you when you say you heard something." Fives says. "Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur!" He adds.

"Gar serim." Rex and I say.

"What does that even mean?" General Skywalker growls while blocking another shot.

"Today is a good day for someone _else_ to die." Fives repeats, using Basic.

"And we agreed with him." I finish. The number of laser bolts I have to block is decreasing. The two other clones are hitting droids with spectacular results. I duck under a bolt just as I remember that I'm protecting my friends and deflect it, barely in time to save Rex's manhood. I stand back up and keep blocking until the last droid is shot down. We wait a couple minutes before moving farther apart.

"Okay, we're leaving. _Now_." Anakin orders. I sling my pack over my shoulders and look around uncomfortably. The Jedi have the Force, Fives and Rex have their helmets, I am walking, literally, in the dark.

"Stay directly behind me, Twitch." The Captain says, seeing my disadvantage. My eyes have slightly adjusted to the dark, but I'm still having difficulty. I get behind him and we move out, circling farther away from and around the city.

I stumble on a root, regain my balance, and step in another snare. I fumble a little in the dark, but I bend, grab my calf with my left hand, then cut the rope. I land on my side this time, but get up wordlessly and keep moving. No one comments, we just walk.

I listen carefully, my ears sharp from the caution that has honed them. A twig snaps and I jump so hard, I can sense Rex twisting to look at me. I shake my head and continue on. I'm tired from physical exertion and cranky from waking up like that. I can bet no one else is feeling too wonderful, either. Twin moons cast pale light, though the trees block most of it. I stumble again. This is going to be a long night.

§ § §

By dawn, I'm exhausted, Rex and Fives are exhausted, even the Jedi are looking exhausted. We've stopped in a thicket, and I've been weaving the slim branches together for and hour. If I can get these bushes together enough, it'll be a dome of sticks hidden from recon droids and a good place to rest. I can't quite reach high enough for the ceiling.

I'm 5'5, still five inches shorter than Rex, who walks over and starts copying my work with the higher branches. He also has longer arms. I go back to working on the walls, pulling them tightly together. The bushes outside of our dome will hide our clearly man-made shelter.

Fives begins on the opposite wall, and Ahsoka's nimble fingers join the work. Skywalker and Kenobi shrug and start, too. We work in content silence for another two hours before taking a water break and patching up the last few holes.

I search the weaving, tightening any loose work or slipping a few leaves into small holes to make it more insulated. It must be fall around here, because there are plenty of grounded leaves and a bitting wind. I finish my once-over, nod in satisfaction, and sit down.

"Mar'e." I sigh.

"You've done this before." Rex says while sitting down next to me.

"Uh-huh. Though, not very often because of how long it took."

"Even with smaller ones?"

"Yeah. The night was half over by the time I finished one."

"Little survivalist."

"Not _that_ little." I protest, even though when we sit, he has several inches on me. But then, Rex is nearly taller than our Generals, too. Fives hands out ration bars. I nibble mine while contemplating things.

I realize I haven't felt too unhappy about Umbara lately because of how busy I was. And now, the second I'm still, my thoughts drift back to the last straw Krell had pulled. I shake myself. Now's not the time to think of that.

I slip outside and cut down handfuls of slim branches, sit on the ground, and weave a door. I fit it over the entrance an hour later, placing the leaves correctly once I've adjusted it. After twenty minutes, the shelter is warm.

I blink and bite the inside of my cheek, trying to keep my eyelids up. Rex is watching, looking like he's just as tired. When I come to think about it, everyone is almost asleep.

"Alright, no one is going to be able to stay awake for long. Try to get some rest." Skywalker says. I lie down near the wall and turn on my side, back to the woven branches.

§ § §

A scream of pain gets me sitting bolt upright. The others are still asleep, oblivious to the sound that woke me. It must have been a dream. I lie down again, unsettled. When I look at Rex and Fives, I wonder if they ever wake up because of nightmares.

_You're getting soft, Twitch. Dreams leave when you get older,_ I tell myself.

Obi-Wan is gone, the door slightly ajar. I lie on my back. When the Jedi comes back in, snow is melting on his hair. He smiles slightly at me and goes back to resting.

§ § §

When I look outside, it's dawn again, and a thin layer of white covers everything. I smile slightly, grab two handfuls, and sneak over to Rex and Fives. I dump the cold powder over their heads and hop back when they sit, looking around and reaching for their guns. I raise my hands in mock surrender.

They see the shiny skin where the snow had melted in my hands. Rex scowls and Fives mutters something in Mando'a. I smirk as they try wiping away the cold moisture. I look at the generals, wondering how severe a punishment it would get me.

"Don't even think it." The Captain hisses. I salute and sit down.

"Should I expect a court marshal, sir?" I whisper.

"Scrubbing the engine rooms for a week." Fives threatens.

"But, I'll explode with boredom, damage the main reactor, and crash the ship!" I protest quietly.

"There is that. Lure in thirty droids or more and you'll be pardoned." Rex says.

"Sir, yes, sir." I murmur. A handful of snow goes down the back of my shirt. I breathe in sharply, arch my back, and whirl around to see Fives mutely laughing so hard he's doubled over. While the Captain had distracted me, my friend had slipped out. I pull the back of my shirt open and scrape out the slush, wiping with the back of my hand to dry myself.

"Copaani mirshmure'cye, vod?" I whisper harshly.

"No, but it was worth it." He answers. I flick the remaining slush at his head.

"Big brothers." I say in exasperation. Rex is smiling.

"You started the Snow Wars. He's just retaliating."

"Are you three quite done yet?" I jump when General Kenobi speaks. The other Jedi are looking around groggily.

"Sorry, sir. We were conducting Snow Wars." I explain. He flicks a few droplets off his cheek. "And, I'm afraid you got caught in the crossfire." Everyone steps outside.

**Whump**

Rex, Fives and I are knocked over by a wall of snow. Anakin and Ahsoka are putting their hands down. I shiver violently, sniff, and try to get all the snow off my back. I make a snowball and whip around, hitting the Padawan in her shoulder.

"There's already a war going on that we have to attend to." General Kenobi reminds us.

"Did I mention droids hate snow?" I say impishly.

* * *

_A.N. ~ You know the time estimate, you know that I appreciate reviews, and you know there will be humour in the next chapter._

Twitch: _of course there will! _I'm_ in it!_

Fives: *coughs pointedly*

Twitch: _yeah, I guess ARC troopers hanging by their feet are funny, too._

Fives: _I should throw you in a snow bank for that._

Twitch *grinning cheekily*: _but you won't._

Fives: _yet..._

Me: _are you guys going to do this every time?_

Twitch: _probably._

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS:**

**Ib'tuur Jatne Tuur Ash'ad Kyr'amur: [EEB-toor JAHT-nay toor ASH-ad-KEE-ram-oor] today is a good day for someone else to die**

**Gar Serim: [Gar sair-EEM] yes, you're right. Or: that's it (General term of agreement)**

**Mar'e: [MAH-ray] at last (expression of relief)**


	23. Snow Wars

"Hey!" A yellow painted droid yelps. I laugh from on top of the roof I'm perched on and throw another snowball with accuracy. The droid sees me. "Stop that! That's an order!" It gets another snowball to the head.

"Have to catch me first, Bucket Brain!" I shout. I scramble to the ground and the droid walks towards me.

"Halt!" It orders. I laugh cheerily again and hit its chest with more snow. I love this. I'm openly bothering battle droids and they blame it on me being a child, so I don't get shot at, though I miss the last part a little.

I slowly lead it and other droids I hit with snowballs away, out of the city. Every time one's concentration leaves following me, I hit it with another handful of snow. I'm backing up as the fifteen droids walk after me. I go a little ways into the trees, still pursued, right up to a new clearing.

I hit them one more time, laugh, and dive behind a tree, grabbing the blasters I'd left there and start shooting. Rex and Anakin jump out and flank them. The fight is over before it even starts.

The others are doing the same things in a different part of the forest. Ahsoka, young enough to do the trick, is with them. It's noon when Fives drops by to hand out ration bars.

"So how's work?" I ask casually.

"You need to train as a strategist. How'd you know they would follow us because of snow?" He congratulates

"I was on a frozen planet and decided to experiment. Half of what I know is accidental."

"I have to go back. I think we might be drawing attention to ourselves."

"You think just maybe?" I reply as he turns to leave. I eat as I walk back to the city. I climb onto a roof, fingers numb with cold. I notice a tactical droid walking around. I can't help it. I just have to. The snowball hits it square in the head. It looks around, then up.

"Does not compute. Explain your actions." Another snowball answers it. As soon as it gets the slush out of its optics, I coat them again. "Cease action, I order it." Another bunch of white powder. I jump down, giggling like a normal girl.

I'm backing up, preparing another snowball, when metal hands close around my arms. Three commando droids are clutching me.

_Oops. But then, they're holding my arms..._

A snowball hits one and it releases me. I look up and spot Tano throwing two more handfuls. The second they let go, I climb up beside her.

"I owe you one." I say while packing together an icy sphere.

"Just doing the Snow Wars." She replies. The commando droids start climbing up after us. I jump to the next roof, heading for the gate. They reach the top and I go into an all out dash beside the Padawan.

I jump right on to the wall and teeter there for a moment. The thirty foot drop is almost a sure bet for a broken leg. Ahsoka jumps down without hesitating. Once she lands, she turns and looks up at me.

"I'll catch you. Come on!" I jump. My heart beats rapidy as the air rushes past, then I'm gently stopped. The droids leap after us. I run for the trees, stooping and grabbing some sticky snow as I run. One of our attackers are snowballed.

"Split up!" I shout. We break apart, me going left, her going straight. I look over my shoulder. One is still on my trail. I run into my clearing and trip on a snow-covered root, twisting around to see the droid.

The heavy machine jumps on me and gets me in a chokehold. I try kicking it, but that doesn't work. It is lifted off the ground by Skywalker, but it tightens it's grip. I signal wildly for the General to stop.

He cuts the commando off at the arms and slices off its head. I pull the arms away from my neck and cough hard. I feel like my throat is crushed. I swallow some undisturbed snow.

Not extremely healthy, but a simple remedy that works. My arms are shaking hard. I hold a handful of icy powder to my neck and let it soothe the bruising skin. Rex puts a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm alright. Are those things programmed to choke us?"

"And any other lethal actions." He answers. I shake the water off my hand and cough again.

"Okay. Back to work." I wheeze.

"Are you sure?" The General asks.

"Oh, yeah. I still have fourteen more droids to lure in." I say cheerily.

"Or more." Rex reminds me.

"Or more." I agree. Back in the city, I deliberately avoid any commando droids I see. I hit a super battle droid and it glowers at me quietly. I try again and it walks after me. I hit a few of its buddies and kick the new gate guard to boot. They advance and I retreat. I make it into the clearing and retrieve my DC–17s. Another all too swift fight.

"Only four more to go." Rex says.

"You were serious?" I ask in dismay.

"Yes. K'oyacyi."

"Sir?" I ask uncertainly.

"Hang in there." I smile and nod before starting my jog back to the city.

§ § §

"Fifty three droid kills." Fives boasts. We're back in the shelter.

"Forty nine." I mutter.

"At least you don't have to scrub the engine room." He says.

"Yeah, there is that." I concede. He smirks.

"You're still a good verd, four less or not."

"You're still a good ori'vod, even if all I hear is 'punch me' when you talk sometimes." The Jedi are out hunting, giving us a break after all the fighting.

"How long have you been studying Mando'a?" He asks.

"After Umbara." Rex is silent, thinking about something, most likely. He has a scowl, so probably thinking about not-pleasant things. I wave my hand in front of his face. He starts.

"Sorry, what?" This gets me worried. He usually keeps track of conversations.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine. Just thinking." I look worriedly at Fives. Too quiet, not enough focus... Something's got his kama in a twist. I don't prod, though. He didn't when I was quiet and sullen on the island. Fives, however, sometimes misses that fine line.

"Come on, we know when you aren't feeling peachy. What's up?" Worst way to get Rex to tell you something.

"Di'kut." I mutter. Now we'll never find out.

"I said I'm fine." Rex answers, a little too forcefully." The ARC backs off on the questions. I remember that I was more comfortable if the others acted normally when I was upset, so I launch back into conversation.

"For the record, we didn't get more because I was being strangled by a commando droid after lunch. Slowed me down."

"Uh-huh." Fives answers sarcastically.

"And you had more Jedi on your team." I add.

"Excuses, excuses." He teases. "Let's work on that chokehold then, shall we?" My neck has bruised from the metal fingers and just swallowing hurts, but I'm getting finicky again, so I nod enthusiastically. "Cutting their wrists is all good and well, but you won't always have your arm-blades on hand. You need to be able to do it without them. Off with your gauntlets. I need both hands intact by the end of this." I reluctantly take the weapons off.

The skin underneath is pale and slick with sweat, marred with scars of all sorts. I refuse to make eye contact, but lie down when he gestures for me to. He gently puts both hands over my neck and straddles me. I'm thankful no one mentions the marks in my skin. He lifts one hand and taps the crook of his elbow.

"Hit here." He puts his free hand back. I thrust my forearms up and shove out. His arms move and I roll away, accidentally colliding with Rex.

"Sorry." I say. We try it again, running through multiple scenarios. On the last go, I'm just about to get away when he's lifted off the ground.

"What's going in here?" Anakin growls. I sit up.

"General Skywalker! Fives was showing me how to get out of a chokehold." I say, shocked at the anger in the Jedi's voice. I glance at a bewildered looking Fives.

"You can let him down now, Anakin." Kenobi says evenly. The ARC is deposited on the ground.

"Sorry. Looked bad from where we were." He mumbles.

"It's fine, sir. No harm done." I'm impressed that Fives sounds so calm. I clip on my gauntlets, noting that they're squeezing a bit. I'll have to get them upgraded to have different sizes. I won't always be this small. Ahsoka comes in, carrying a woven basket filled with assorted berries.

I'm too hungry to care that there isn't anything heavier. Using the Force, the Jedi split the harvest into sixths. I pop a blue one in my mouth and tangy, sweet juice pours through my teeth. I eat a red one and get a more sour flavour. I eat all the reds first, then the blues. I might as well be having dessert. And from the other clones' expressions, they're enjoying the sweet fruit, too.

Soon, I reach down for another berry and find that I've eaten them all. I smile wryly and and lean on my elbows, back against the ground. I can tell the meal wasn't enough for my friends. The one advantage I have from not aging as quickly is that I don't require as much food. The average clone metabolism needs monstrous amounts of sustenance.

"Twitch, a fire in here wouldn't be very helpful." Rex brings me back to reality.

"Huh? Oh, I was frowning again, wasn't I?" My thinking face needs to change.

"Yeah. You alright?" The Captain asks.

"Just thinking." He doesn't ask any more questions. It's starting to be a rule with us.

"Well, now that we've thinned out the droids' ranks, it's time we start looking at more significant targets." Kenobi says.

* * *

_A.N. ~ I know, leaving off on another cliffhanger is cruel. Don't worry, in all likeliness, you won't have to wait a full 48 hours. Please review, positively and negatively._

Fives: _no, I'm not saying you're not as good as me, I'm just saying you have room for improvement._

Twitch: _how does 'I guess I'm the better fighter for now', translate to_ that?

Fives: _I said 'for now', didn't I?_

Me: _guys! Really, take the arguments to the moon for all I care, just stop bringing them into my notes!_

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS: **

**k'oyaci: [Koy-AH-shee] cheers, hang in there, come back safely. (Literally a command:) stay alive**

**Verd: [vaird] soldier, warrior**

**Ori'vod: [OH-ree VOHD] big brother, big sister (or, less formerly,) close (or special) friend**


	24. Bomb Squad Strikes

_A.N. ~ I really don't have or need an excuse for putting another chapter up. Writing is addictive!_

* * *

I carefully make my way up the rough wall. On reaching the window ledge, I peek over the stone. I'm the diversion. That was all I was told. The Jedi had given us our parts, but hadn't revealed their roles. I get the feeling that foraging had been their cover while talking through the plan.

Low and behold, I'm looking at a room filled with shut off astromechs, most likely used for serving. I allow myself one evil grin before pulling myself into the building. I open one up, take an oil tube, and switch it with an electrical conduit.

The 'on' switch at the door catches my attention. When I flip it, I'll have exactly three seconds to get out of here. I rewire a dozen of the mechs, slip over to the switch, and click on my comm.

"Tick, tick, boom!" I snicker before pressing the button and racing for the window. Two...one. I jump out just as the fiery explosion goes off. I'm about to grab a window ledge across from the palace when a feeling like a dagger going through the left side of my back locks my muscles.

The pain holds me still as my body crashes against the wall and falls a good fifteen feet down. I land on my hurt shoulder and wail in agony, then try to think.

_What happens in explosions? Fire, radiation...shrapnel. __I must've been hit by metal._

My comm goes off. I weakly turn it on.

"Are you alright?" It's probably Rex. He's on a nearby building with sniper duty in case of reinforcements and a helmet that lets him watch me as if I was two feet away.

"Just slipped." I gasp. "I'll be fine. Worry about any tinnies that show." I cut off the line just as a quiet moan leaves my lips. I get up. When I try reaching my back to touch the metal, I let out a whimper and give up. I can't stretch enough. It hurts too much.

The plan. My part of the plan. I was supposed to assault any droids on foot. The very thought of swinging my arms around with shrapnel in my body makes me cringe. I try swinging my right arm and a yell gets out. There's no way I can do it.

"Bomb Six injured. Unable to execute ground defence." I say through gritted teeth.

"Acknowledged, Bomb Six. What's your condition?" I don't know which of my brothers that was.

"Not 'dying'. Continue with the plan. I'll help another way." I say.

"Acknowledged." He says. Fives will be sneaking through the palace, destroying inactive droids and wreaking havoc. I take a few steps forward, kneel, then stand and keep moving. Rex is on a building, shooting. I look at the structure across the street from him. I open the door, sneak up the stairs, go into what looks like an office, and scramble out the open window, minimizing the distance I have to climb.

The five feet _are_ excruciating, though. I can feel my left arm slipping. I get my right arm over the top and drag myself up, then go to the edge, taking out a blaster. I don't trust my left hand to shoot straight. I start hitting the swarming droids. They return fire, though it's futile with my position.

"I see you, Bomb Six. Do you require medical attention?" Rex is in full military staccato.

"Negative, Bomb Four. Just keep shooting."

_I shouldn't give my superior officer orders. I can't think straight. I'm deteriorating. _

The moisture on my back says that I'm in bad condition.

_I can't jeopardize the mission over this. Keep shooting..._

Some commando droids charge our respective buildings. I shoot at one and it dodges, so quickly that I can't process it. Two are climbing my building, another pair on Rex's.

"You've got incoming commando droids, Bomb Four." I grunt.

"So do you. Hold on." I shoot at the droids on my friend's building, damaging one. He's shooting at my assailants. Between the two of us, we manage to destroy them before they reach us. I notice movement near the Captain.

"Behind you!" I bark, not bothering with the comm this time. Something hits my sore shoulder. I screech and twist, sitting up. The commando droid has holes in it before it can try anything else.

I grab the machine with my bad arm, then go back to the edge, using it as a shield so I can shoot safely, looking in between the top arm and its torso while shooting from the symmetrical gap on the bottom. Rex, however, throws his shut down attacker at a group of clustered together battle droids. I realize I'm shivering.

"Bomb Six, you're bleeding. A lot." The Captain says over the comm.

"I'm fine, Bomb Four. Don't waste time on me." I snap. There are only a few droids left, yet I'm barely hitting anything now. Rex gets the last three.

"We're in the clear. Do you see anything?" I look around, popping my head over my makeshift shield.

"Nothing." I manage. I can feel the shaking in my chest and arms, even my legs are trembling. I spot three Droidekas. "Incoming rollies!" I shout. I aim at the nearest one. Something hard and cold is pressed against my neck; the barrel of a gun

"Stand down." The droid orders. Commandos. I see that while we were distracted, Rex has been put it the same position. I raise my hands, then swat away the gun and switch my comm to a different frequency.

"Bomb Five, shut down the droids!" I shout. The commando smashes the butt of its gun against my head and I fall over. It stomps on my left arm, crushing the com link. I can feel the shrapnel in my shoulder as I put my hands on my pounding head.

It walks me down to the street. Rex is already there. I'm shoved onto my knees by being pushed on my shoulder. A whimper involuntarily leaves my throat. The Captain looks at my back. I don't know what his expression is, but it probably isn't good.

His helmet is removed, his hands bound. The droid behind me gruffly wrenches my arms into place and ropes are wrapped around them. I can tell the back of my shirt is soaked in red. I can feel it sticking to my skin in almost every place. The commandos point their guns at us.

"Ne shab'rud'ni." I growl, despite my pain. I can see Rex turning his head to look at me in my peripheral vision. One roughly hits my shoulder and I breathe in sharply.

"This one is damaged. We should eliminate her." My aggravator says.

"All prisoners are to be kept alive. Do not shoot." The other says.

"Ori'buyce, kih'kovid." I say to Rex. The commando in charge takes a threatening step towards me.

"Udesii, Bomb Resol." My friend warns me. Delirium is at my doorstep, trying to get in. I stay quiet and wait. Fives better have gotten my message. After twenty minutes, I start feeling lightheaded, weak. I sway slightly. This isn't missed by Rex or our captors.

"The youngling is almost dead. She won't last." The one that had spoken earlier points out.

"Yes, I will, beskar'ad." I grunt. These things clearly understand Mando'a, but I shouldn't get hit for that. And yet, I do. I lose my balance and fall on my right side. The droid aims its gun at me. It looks at the other one.

"She was shot during the battle." It says. The other nods. _Bewwww_. I look up in surprise. The droids have shut down. I gasp with relief.

"Bomb Five did it." I force myself up and unsheathe my arm-blades, turning so Rex can free himself. As soon as his hands are loose, he works on mine. Every time he jiggles my left one, my shoulder stings. I'm not losing consciousness, but black swarms my vision. I fall over once he finishes. A sound of surprise comes from above me.

"Stay with me, Bomb Six. We're done. We can rest now." He says, still sounding like a captain trying to reassure a rookie.

"Mission complete, Bomb Squad. Rendezvous in the palace courtyard." I can hear Bomb One...no, General Skywalker, say over Rex's comm.

"We'll be late, Bomb One. Bomb Six is down." The Captain says.

"What? How bad?"

"Lots of blood. Piece of shrapnel in the back of her upper shoulder."

"Get here as fast as you can, Bomb Four." Kenobi—Bomb Two.

"Yes, sir." He clicks off his comm. "I'm going to lift you, now. It's going to hurt, but you just have to put up with it." He says firmly. I nod, wincing when it pulls on my back. He gets a hand just below where the wound is, warranting a whimper, and one under my butt, which is uncomfortable in multiple ways, but right now I don't give a crap.

We start moving, each footfall making me hurt even more. Heat rushes through my body. When we stop again, I'm put down on my side. I'm rolled onto my stomach.

"Where's Kix when we need him?" Someone mutters.

"Kix?" I mumble hopefully.

"Get a medical droid." I think that was Obi-Wan. No, General Kenobi. I can feel my racing pulse and gasp, breathing deeply, then quickly, trying to alleviate the pain.

"She's going into shock." I don't know who that was.

_The ground is so cold..._

Someone touches my forehead.

"Fever."

_Was that Rex? I don't know. Is there snow here? Why am I hurting so much?_

My mind is clouding over. I try asking what's going on, but it just comes out as an incoherent jumble of syllables. I close my eyes.

_So cold..._

§ § §

Of all the positions to leave me in., they leave me lying on my back. I can hear someone moving around.

"If you try anything with a bev, I will not be gentle." I say without moving.

"Bev means 'spike' in Mando'a."

_Great, a medical droid._

"Or needle."

"I will not inject you, but do not move. You lost a lot of blood." I turn my head and spot a large, twisted piece of metal a third smaller than my hand lying on a tray, covered in dry blood. Ouch.

"What was my condition?" I ask.

"Shock, traces of metal poisoning, fever, severe blood loss. The shrapnel had hit a large artery." Not good. "Do you want me to contact anyone?" It asks.

"If you could just notify my companions that I'm awake, that would be fine, thank you." I say. It walks away and I sigh. Bed rest. Wonderful. I close my eyes and don't think of anything.

I'm not sure how long it is before the door opens. I look up and see Rex and Fives. I smile at them as they walk to my left. I'm glad they did. Looking to my right would mean stretching the damaged muscles.

"How're you feeling?" Fives asks.

"Better, thanks. What about you two?"

"We're alright. You had us worried for a while." Rex answers.

"Sorry about that. Pesky astromechs come apart so easily." I speak matter of factly. Their helmets are tucked under their arms.

"What exactly did you do to make them all explode at once?" Fives always asks these questions.

"I switched and oil tube and an electrical conduit in a dozen of them and activated the entire bunch." I say enthusiastically. I enjoy sharing tricks with them.

"Oh, dear." Says the medical droid. Oops.

"Don't worry. I only do it with astromechs." I assure it.

"Very well." It leaves.

"So, we have the city?" I ask.

"Yes. Reinforcements and pickup are on the way." The Captain replies.

"Good to know." I say. My eyes are insisting on trying to close.

"You look tired." Fives comments.

"Just after affects of anaesthetics...I think." It really is getting harder to stay awake.

"We'll let you sleep it off, then." Rex says.

"'Kay. Bye." I mumble.

"See you around, Twitch." Fives says. They file out and I succumb to the drug-induced sleep.

* * *

_A.N. ~ you have three guesses for how long Twitch is going to put up with bed rest. Pl—_

Kix: _for the love of Force, just stay in bed a couple days! Read! Watch bolo-ball on the holonet! Just stay in bed!_

Twitch *voice_ very _frustrated*:_ A, I don't watch bolo-ball, B, I only have so many interesting things to read, and C, I'm fine! I can handle taking a trip to the nearest gym!_

Kix:_ A, if you exert yourself without enough blood running through you, you collapse and have an extended bed rest. B, _find_ something to read. And C, how could you _not_ like bolo-ball? _Rex_ dyed his hair _blue _to support a bolo team!_

Twitch: Rex _did that? Are you serious? That sounds like something Fives or Tup would do!_

Kix: _one of the reasons for why he re-dyed his hair as soon as the season ended! Just stay in bed!_

Twitch: _or what? You'll drug me? Then what options would you have? Keep me asleep forever or let me come to and beat you up?_

Me: _A, Twitch, just get some rest. B, Kix, I thought at least _you _wouldn't bring this into my note, and C, readers, please review and remember the next chapter has a 48 hour appearance wait at the most. _*Looking back to Kix and Twitch*. _As for you two, GET OUT OF MY NOTE!_

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS: **

**Ne Shab'rud'ni: [neh shab-ROOD-nee] don't mess with me (extremely strong warning, and likely to be followed by violence)**

**Ori'buyce, Kih'kovid: [OH-ree-BOO-shay, KEE-koh-VEED] all helmet, no head (Common term of contempt and/or mockery for someone with an overdeveloped sense of authority)**

**Udesii: [oo-DAY-see] calm down, or: take it easy**

**Resol: [reh-SOL] six**

**Beskar'ad: [BES-kar-AHD] droid (literally, 'child of iron')**

**Bev: [bayve] needle, spike**


	25. Dinner and a Sith

When the reinforcements and pickup arrive, I refuse to hear anything about a stretcher.

"The shrapnel hit my shoulder, not my leg." I point out stubbornly. Rex sighs in defeat.

"Fine, fine. Just move slowly." My left shoulder is free of bandages, only a small mark where the metal had pierced my body remaining. I sit up, let the lightheadedness pass, then stand. I sway a little, causing the Captain to put a hand on my right shoulder, but then I try a few steps and find that it comes easily.

"Nothing to it." I say.

"Atin adiik." He mutters.

"Fretting alor'ad." I reply with a smile.

"Guess I should mention now, Kix came down on the pick up to check on injuries." I face palm myself.

"Oh, no. Here comes bed rest." I groan. I've been stuck in bed while my blood pressure rises back to normal. I'm still a little low. We turn a corner and enter a wide courtyard with a tree in the middle. A gunship is across from us.

I'm starting to feel sick to my stomach from moving, but I'll be dead before admitting that I should have gone with the stretcher. I spot Kix just as he sees us. He starts moving forward.

"So, what happened?" He asks.

"Everything went well." I say quickly. He swings me around and shifts the collar of my shirt to show the scar. He must see my other scars as well, but doesn't comment on them.

"Uh-huh. Perfectly." He mutters.

"Here it comes." I say, looking pointedly at Rex.

"Three days of bed rest." The medic continues as if I hadn't spoken.

"It's just a little cut." I protest.

"I already told him the whole story." The Captain says. I give him a look of pure betrayal. I can scowl well, I can 'puppy dog', too.

"Come on, you two. Let's get back to the Resolute." Kix breaks my gaze.

§ § §

Someone raps on my door.

"Come in." I call. I'm on my stomach, chin resting in my left hand, a data pad in the other. When General Skywalker walks in, I start scrambling to get up. He raises a hand before I can get my feet off the bed.

"At ease. How are you feeling?"

"Good. Twitchy, thanks. How are you?"

"I'm well. Still trying to convince R2 that you won't blow him up." I remember the blue marked astromech.

"Wouldn't dream of it, sir. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"I was going to ask if you would like to have dinner with me and some of the other 501st." This catches me off guard.

"I would be happy to, sir. Thank you."

"General Skywalker."

"General Skywalker." I correct myself. I turn off and put the data pad on my bed. I almost forgot it was dinner time. I've been busy learning Mando'a. At the Mess Hall, two tables have been pulled together to make room. All the men I know are here, a lot more I don't are, too. Rex, clearly knowing what his General was up to, has saved two spots...somehow. Everyone begins to stand, I start to stiffen as I would have earlier if he hadn't stopped me.

"At ease." Anakin says quickly. After getting our food, I go on Rex's left, General Skywalker on his right. The loud chatter cuts down to quiet and restrained murmuring as soon as the General is in place. He smiles wryly. After several minutes, the volume increases again and they're chatting as though Skywalker was a clone, too, and not a Jedi. Kix is glancing at me from time to time. When I finally catch his eyes with my own, I sigh.

"I'm not going to fall over. Take a day off from being a baar'ur." He looks away and I go back to tackling my meal. It's day two of my bed rest. Which I've elected to ignore for the next hour. I'm content with just listening to the others exchange banter and stories. This is good. This is peace. Then someone jabs my back and makes me jump. I almost cut Tup, but just hold off on the arm-blades, though my forearm is pressed against his chest. I let out a huff. "Are you trying to get killed? Because someday, I won't remember to not let the blades out." I'm half standing. A few of the others are watching. I break into a broad smile.

"I'm sure you'll remember." He says. I pat his shoulder.

"Keep telling yourself that." He takes a spot across and to the right of where I am.

"Would you really cut him?" Rex double checks.

"Not on purpose." I answer. He mutters something about 'careful' and 'startling'. I'm about to swallow another bite of bland food when the ship vibrates and rocks dangerously. I almost choke on what I was eating and sit straighter. Rex looks just as worried.

"Not landing?" I check.

"No." He and the General answer. Alarms start to blare. I hop away from the table.

"We are under attack. Battle stations. They brought boarding ships." Someone says over the comms. The Mess Hall explodes into activity. Though, it's organized, and everyone is running out in pairs instead of stampeding.

I wait until it's just me and Rex, then I head for the door. My guns are in my quarters. I miss sleeping in the barracks, but apparently, I was to be in a separate room until end of bed rest.

"I need to get my guns. Where do you want me?" I shout over the alarms.

"Meet me back here." He orders. I nod and dash for my room, slowing at corners in case of other people. I run in, grab my belt, snap it on, holster my weapons, and head back towards the Mess. I get there first, and am joined by the Captain, Fives, Kix, and a lot of blue and white armoured men. A loud noise comes from the room. I peak in and see a boarding ship dropping off droids.

"There goes the Mess Hall." I growl. I crouch at the base of the door and others take up positions around and behind me. The second the first batch of droids stand, we open fire. Another impact makes me lose concentration. I look down the hall to my left and see another boarding ship. "Captain." I warn.

"I see it. Everyone get around the corner and take up positions." He orders. I note how he refrained from using 'retreat' in his orders. If words could leave bad tastes in our mouths... I back up and then run with everyone else. I flatten myself against the wall, using a metal beam as cover. A droid comes into view and we shoot at it. It falls with a cry of surprise. More come just to be shot down.

They begin coming in greater numbers. I notice that we've stopped next to an armoury. I leave cover and back up to the door, then slip in. I grab a couple of droid poppers and run back out. Once I've take cover, I get ready. Fives raises a hand slightly and I toss one to him. He throws first as I shoot. Once the droids are down and more come, I throw mine.

Now the super battle droids start coming. Rex signals for me to get more droid poppers. I run in, grab a pack, stuff it with the spheres, then dash back, tossing him one, the ARC one, and more to anyone who signals. Two throws and we end the first round, then do it again. Finally, we run out of droids to pop with some poppers to spare. I get the remaining ones back in the bag and look around for more action.

"Captain Rex, protect the engine room." Skywalker says over the comms.

"We're on it, General." He answers. "Let's move it!" He orders. I run behind him, watching for any hostiles. My head is starting to ache, the lack of blood in my body making me tire too quickly.

A shot flies by my head and I dive to the side, taking out a droid popper and throwing it at the super battle droids. They topple over. I toss the poppers to others. The soldier who took cover beside me leans out to shoot and falls over dead. A flash of anger bolts through me and I holster my guns.

"Don't try it. That's an order." Rex shouts at me. I unhappily restart shooting, occasional refracting a laser bolt and killing droids that way. Adding 'that's an order' was necessary to keep me in place, but hints to those who don't know me that I'm a trouble maker. I can't blame my friend, though. He has to take care of us all and is just keeping me alive, though I'm confident I would survive it.

Four commando droids whirl to the front of our enemies' line and charge us. I turn my fire on them, then throw a popper. It takes one, but the other ones break a man's neck and shoot another. The Captain doesn't stop me when I put away my guns again and jump at the machines. I'm shocked when one raises an arm and blocks mine without loosing its own.

On momentary examination, I see that they are wearing arm-blades identical to my own. The other one tries to get me, but I have far more experience with the weapons, parrying and kicking it away. I duck under the other's free arm and cut into its chest. It swings again and I cut at the shoulder, disarming it and finish its head. The other one is coming at me again, though I'm not sure where the third is.

This one is a lot harder to deal with. It isn't underestimating me, but is on full offence. I'm losing speed in my reactions. A gash on my shoulder makes that apparent. I duck under the arms and launch forward, blades out in the same fashion as when I executed the maneuver with the Trandoshan.

The droid shuts down, the fourth now turning on me after cutting down one of us. It is so occupied with watching me, it doesn't even see the two laser bolts from Rex. It falls over. I'm out in the open and a lot of fire is concentrated on me. I roll out of the way and continue shooting.

The last droid falls. I pick up the bladed arm I'd removed earlier, study it quickly, compare it to one of my gauntlets, then throw it down in disgust. I get a sick feeling that I was the prototype for these droids.

We make it to the engine room and two scouts go around inside it while we guard the entrance. They report in that it's clear. Our group is split in half, me under Fives' command and heading to the other entrance to protect it. Almost the second we step out, I spot a tall, muscular, yellow-skinned Dathomirian male with horns crowning his head. He has a large lightsaber, and is looking at us with contempt.

"Is this the best Skywalker can throw at me?" He demands. I get a bad feeling about him and raise my arms into a ready position. Everyone else raises their varying guns. He takes out the red lightsaber and whirls it around, another blade sliding out of the bottom. He cuts one of my brothers clean in half, then raises an arm and backhands Fives so hard the ARC goes flying. He swings the red blade at another clone. I jump forward and deflect it. "What's this? A challenge?" He says, seeming all too pleased at the thought of it. I'm not sure how long I would last against him in a fight. He swings the blade at me and I dodge, swinging my torso around and blocking again. I'm stuck on the defensive. It isn't my lucky day, fighting an assassin or Sith or whatever he is when I'm not at full strength.

And he's also skilled at fighting with a lightsaber, or good enough to have me fear for my life at every movement either of us make. After almost ten minutes of going back and forth too quickly for anyone to risk shooting at us, he lifts and clenches his hand, then swings it at the wall. A crushing weight surrounds my neck and hurtles me sideways.

I get up, hearing blaster fire. I see him occupied with the others and sneak up. I'm about to cut his back open when he swings around, aiming to half me, but thwarted my my left arm. The impact makes my limb sore, but I just glare at him. He's at least a good two feet taller than me. Seven feet at the shortest. Broad shoulders, thick arms and legs, a sneer that makes me want to deck him and run away screaming at the same time. I think I preferred Ventress.

He turns again to block not a laser bolt, but a blue lightsaber. General Kenobi holds his immediate attention, though when I once again try slashing at him, I'm thrown against a wall from a kick to my chest. It feels like my sternum is bruised, and I have to gasp for air as they fight.

Once I'm sure nothing is broken and the two lightsaber wielding opponents won't crash into me, I scramble over to Fives. Kix is with Rex. Drat. I check his pulse, which is strong, and remove his helmet. He isn't awake. I put the armour back in place and move him closer to the side, out of the way. I duck back to the remainder of my group.

"Get the medic." I order one of them. He hesitates, unsure of my rank. I fix him in a glare. "Move it!" I growl. He turns and slips through the door. The new threat thankfully doesn't notice. Then a droid shoots at us. We take cover. My bag. I left the droid poppers with Rex!

Two more of the commando droids with arm-blades come at us. I end up taking them both on at once. Another cut on my knee almost hamstrings me, but I take both of that one's arms off and kick the other away long enough for me to back up a little. It charges and I sidestep while bringing both arms down. I cut it into three pieces. A shot almost hits my chest and I scramble backwards. I notice the soldier I'd sent and Kix coming through the door. I back up and stay in front of them.

"Just like Christophsis. This way." I shout over the noise. They stay behind me while shooting as I walk sideways towards Fives. While Kix examines him, the other trooper continues shooting from behind me. I get closer to the medic to make sure he isn't hit. I have no idea where the General or that horned man went.

"Concussion. Possibly a fractured shoulder." I hear my friend muttering.

"That's not good. Can he last without proper medical attention until all this is over?" I ask.

"Yes, though it'll be painful." The shooting stops. All the droids have been destroyed.

"Was your group under attack when you came here?" I check.

"No." I switch my comm to Rex's line.

"Captain?"

"Report."

"Fives is injured and..." I quickly count up the dead troops. "Seven men dead."

"Get someone to help you take Fives to the sickbay. Kix is in charge over there."

"Yes, sir." I answer. The line goes dead. I look at the Medic. He nods and I turn. There are still over twenty of us. I notice one with a nasty cut on his right arm. I wave him over.

"We're getting him to the sickbay." I say briskly. He gets a shoulder under Fives and drapes him over his neck like an oversized scarf. I start leading the way there. I find the lack of droids is either really good or really bad.

We get there, no problems, and a droid directs us to a medical bed. Once Fives is down safely, I take one hesitant look at him, then turn and leave.

* * *

_A.N.~ dun, dunn, dunnnnnnn. I'm probably going to start working on getting the next chapter up right away. Please review, negative and positive. Uh, oh, here comes Twitch and Kix. I better go before they start fighting..._

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS:**

**Alor'ad: [al-OHR-ahd] captain**

**Baar'ur: [BAR-oor] medic**


	26. Me, 0 Big Bad Vents, 1

The droids are gone. We won. But these arm-blades on the commando droids still worry me. It has just been announced that the threat is over. I'm checking the bluntness of the copies, the size compared to mine, the thickness, and they seem to be exact replicas, except that these blades aren't as lightly coloured as mine.

Rex comes through the door just as I drop the arm, kicking it away in frustration. The unique weapons that have been my trademark fighting style for almost a year are prototypes. I'm willing to bet the Separatists _let_ me take them and kept an eye on their efficiency afterwards. The Captain doesn't say anything, just gazes at me through his visor before leaving.

Most of us are ordered to search for stray droids, or check for hull breaches. The injured, including me, are sent to sickbay. Once my cuts are clean and the bleeding stopped, I leave and find Rex.

"Orders?" I ask tiredly.

"Rest. You technically shouldn't have been up fighting at all." I nod and go back to my quarters. I toss and turn, then try studying Mando'a on the data pad, then go back to fidgeting. This is hopeless. A very quiet knock makes me perk up. I stand and call for them to enter while smoothing down my hair. Kenobi walks in.

"I hope I didn't wake you." I shake my head.

"You didn't, sir." I'm at attention.

"At ease." I go into parade rest. "I can sense that you're troubled." Whenever a Jedi 'senses' anything about me, my privacy feels invaded.

"I am, sir." A concerned look comes over his face.

"Do share." He gestures for me to sit. I'm glad he did. Once I'm down, he leans against the wall.

"It...the commando droids. They had arm-blades exactly like mine." I blurt.

"I see. And you think that you have something to do with it?"

"Yes, sir. I think I may have been the prototype without realizing it." I admit.

"That is a rather uncomfortable thought. I see that they also knew how to use their weapons." The fabric on my shoulder is torn and stained with dry blood.

"They did, sir."

"The metal and shape?"

"Theirs were darker than mine, but the shape was identical." The General ponders this for a minute.

"Would you concede to lending me one of your gauntlets for study?" I stiffen, but nod. I unclip my left one and hand it to him, keeping the scars hidden under the blanket. I'm changing into a long sleeved shirt as soon as he's gone.

"I'll bring it back tomorrow." He promises.

"Take as long as you need, sir." I offer.

"Thank you." I watch as he leaves. I feel exposed without one of my blades, like I have a chink in my armour, which I do. I change and leave to go to the sickbay. I see Fives moving his right shoulder for a medical droid. He swings his arm in a circle, moves it back and forth, lets the droid touch it in various places.

I walk over, smiling at the thought of my friend back on his feet so soon. I'm about to startle him when the droid raises a hand. Fives turns and I glare venomously at the droid before turning my attention back to him.

"Good to see you alive." I say. This is a standard greeting by now.

"Same goes to you. Did something happen to your gauntlet?"

"General Kenobi is studying it." I explain.

"How did he convince you to give one up?" The droid jabs him in the armpit and he jerks.

"He asked nicely." I answer.

"Huh. What about the horned man?"

"Chased off by the Jedi."

"Good. Aren't you supposed to be on bed rest?"

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure walking won't kill me." The droid finishes, and on hearing 'bed rest', starts moving towards me. "I'm fine, thank you." I say, standing my ground. It sizes me up and leaves.

§ § §

"Here's your gauntlet back." The General hands the blue marked weapon over to me.

"Thank you, sir. We're going to another planet?"

"Florrum. And yes, you are coming. We're going over the plan in the Mess Hall. Come on." I follow him and join the others. Skywalker, Rex, Fives, and Ahsoka are waiting for us. I sit across from Fives and glare at him the second he looks at my food.

_Try it. Really, try._

He senses the dare and looks back at his meal.

"To save Senator Amidala, we will first have to scout the ex and interior of the base. Twitch, this is where you come in. Your small size and, to be honest, lack of visible Republic allegiance will be an asset." Skywalker dives in right away. I try to hide my hurt at both reasons. Neither are compliments to me. "After you can get a good idea of what is where, and we will have a camera hidden on you in case we see something you don't," once again, I keep my face straight so he can't see how cutting his words are, "we will sneak in."

"Sir, I'm sorry, but I know enough about Ohnaka to say he isn't a fool. Wouldn't he be expecting us? Call me paranoid, but I think this is a trap."

"Twitch, you're paranoid." Fives says bluntly.

"We'll be careful." Kenobi assures me. Careful doesn't always prevent capture.

§ § §

I drop onto my stomach.

_Pirate, pirate, pirate, oh, look; another pirate. _

I just walked twenty klicks from where we landed. I make sure the nearly microscopic camera in my hairline can see over the crest of the hill before I circle the entire base. Next, I open a vent and crawl around, looking for the prisoner—senator.

Above a large dining hall, I hear a voice that holds my attention. A pirate with a small pink massiff on his shoulder wearing a hat seems to be in charge. Two slick pieces of hair, one in a braid and one a normal ponytail go down to his hips.

I start moving again, intending to get into a position where I can hear him better. _Crack! _The boards beneath me give out. I snatch at a few wires before twisting to land on my feet. My shoulder jolts against the floor. I see one of my blasters a few feet away. I scramble to get it, but a foot keeps it in place. I reach for my other one, but it isn't in its holster. A beefy pirate has it.

"Haar'chaak." I mutter.

"Now what was that, my dear? I did not understand you." I assume the pirate standing on my '17 is Hondo.

"Random Mando'a. I'm _really_ sorry about this. I'll just take my blasters and go if you'll let me." He doesn't buy it.

"Eh, I don't think so. What were you doing way up in my vents? Spying on us, perhaps?"

"I'm a little young for that. I was just trying to see if whoever lived here was friendly or not."

"And why would you do that?" He asks, clearly losing patience.

"I'm really hungry. I haven't eaten anything for a while."

"Well, what about your parents?" He demands gruffly. I just pretend to be sad at this. "I'm not much for sharing, but I'd be willing to let you leave alive if you, say, let me keep these little noisemakers without a fuss." I nod enthusiastically.

"Of course. Thank you." The big one with my other gun leads me to the top of the hill, oblivious to my pick pocketing the weapon off him. I walk a little ways and stop.

"Di'kuts stole my gun! I'll be back soon." I grumble.

"Alright. Good work." Kenobi replies.

"You should be an actress or diplomat." One of the other two clones tease. "Or lay off the rations."

"Rex, Fives, you two better be light sleepers." I warn.

§ § §

FIVES' P.O.V.

"From what we saw during Twitch's recon, it's safe to say getting in won't be so simple." General Kenobi says. I look at Twitch. She's still underweight, but the vent broke anyways. No way Rex or I could get in that way with full armour. On that note, no way I'm sleeping with that threat hanging over my head. I notice something off in the distance.

"What's that?" I ask. Everyone but Twitch looks. My little sister instead takes out her gun and groans.

"I am such a di'kut." I look at the tracking beacon she is holding up.

"Everyone on the ship." Skywalker orders. We run on.

"R2, get the engines running!" Ahsoka says. I'm just about to relax when something hits us. "We're going down!" The Anakin shouts. A second later, I go flying. The last thing I register is pain in my right leg.

* * *

_A.N. ~ not my longest chapter, grant you, but the next one is longer, and will be up within 48 hours. _

Denal: _hey, have you seen Captain Rex lately? I need to talk to him._

Me:_ um...he's not available at the moment. Off on some mission or another. Nothing to worry about._

Denal:_ I didn't ask if there was anything to worry about. What happened?_

Me:_ what's that, mom? Coming!_

Denal:_ I didn't hear anything..._

Me:_ I better go. Maybe I can get something to Rex. What is it you wanted to tell him?_

Denal:_ nothing._

Me:_ meaning: something. Twitch would be so ashamed of your lying abilities._


	27. Torture And Tal

_A.N. ~ there is some content up ahead that I do not recommend for the squeamish. If you are a young kid, don't read it unless you're positive you can handle it. If you're a teenager and don't want to read it, skip past those several paragraphs. Don't say I didn't warn you. _

* * *

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

My gauntlets saved my arms from any serious damage. The rest of me aches and stings. I shove the plates of rusty metal off of me and look at the blood. I check myself over and catch sight of Fives. A huge piece of the ship is dug into his thigh. I know better than to pull it out myself. I find Kenobi and help him up.

"Fives is wounded." I show him and look for the others while the Jedi works. Most of them don't need search-and-rescue. Obi-Wan has just finished using the medical kit when I hear someone opening the door.

Fives is getting up and leaning on Rex. Pirates file in, aiming guns at us. The Jedi, me, and possibly Rex could survive, but Fives wouldn't make it.

"Surrender." One pirate orders.

"We will have to have insurance that you will not kill us."

_Whoa, too many big words, Obi-Wan. Their brains might blow a fuse or twelve if you keep that up._

"Fine." The big pirate says. Kenobi surrenders his lightsaber. We follow suit. My gauntlets stay on because of their visible harmlessness.

_You just wait, Ohnaka._

We start on our walk back to the base. It's roughly thirty klicks. Fives won't have it easy. At first, I give him space. By five klicks, however, I offer him support. He pretends to not notice my offered shoulder for almost another klick before giving in.

"Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur. So don't die." I pant after ten klicks.

"Keep quiet!" One of the pirates says, shoving my arm with his gun. I swat the weapon away and glare at him.

"Ne shab'rud'ni." I snap.

"Udesii." Rex orders, knowing very well violence is likely to follow after that comment.

"Elek, alor'ad." I say unhappily. He trades off with me, taking Fives' weight onto his own shoulder. At twenty five klicks, Skywalker helps the wounded soldier. We are taken into the massive room I'd been caught in earlier. Ohnaka looks at us with delight.

"Ah, Skywalker, Kenobi. My old friends!" He says cheerfully. Friends? When and in what alternate universe?

"What do you want, Hondo?" Anakin growls. He's furious and we all know it.

"What do _I_ want? First, you send your spy, break a hole in my roof, and try to run from my men when they just wanted to talk. And you ask what _I_ want?"

_Yes, yes, the world is ending, I'm sorry you make crappy vents. Can we go now?_

"Terribly sorry about that. We'll just take our weapons and be going." Kenobi's attempt at smoothing things over doesn't affect the pirate.

"How about...no." Something hard hits my head and I fall forward. I'm dragged down corridors and thrown into a cell. I look up and see Rex is beside me, blood seeping from a wound on his head. A flash of anger goes through me.

"There are no words in any language strong enough to describe my growing hate for this planet's inhabitants." I say, a tremor of fury noticeable in my tone. The Captain thumbs the wound and looks at the scarlet moisture. If anything has been made apparent since we met, it's that I'm fiercely protective of my brothers. Hondo paces up in front of the cell holding Fives and Ahsoka.

"Bind all the Jedi and take bring me the injured one. Maybe we can get some amusement out of him, hmm?" The meaning of it registers.

"Try it and I will kill you." I growl.

"You are in no position to make threats, my dear." I lunge at the door. Rex grabs my arms, making it impossible for me to unsheathe the blades without cutting his hand off.

"Save your strength." His voice is strained from the effort he has to put into keeping me in place.

"Yes, save your strength." Ohnaka mimics. Ahsoka has been restrained, and they are yanking my friend away. As soon as they're gone, Rex lets me go. I whirl on him.

"I could have gotten through!" I almost yell.

"I know you could have. But if you had done it right then, they would've overpowered you. Then where would we be?" I hate to admit that his reasoning makes sense. I pace the cell worriedly, torture techniques running through my head. Rex resigns himself to a corner, giving me as much room as possible to move around in.

I look at the window, finding that I could squeeze through. If there weren't other people here, I would go ahead and slip away. After almost an hour, everyone seems to get sick of my restless movement. The Captain finally gets up, grabs me by the shoulder, and sits me down in the corner across from him.

I don't try getting up again, but my foot keeps tapping in midair, and my fingers drum the floor behind me. I lose track of time, but when they reappear with Fives, he isn't conscious. I wait impatiently for them to leave before standing. I look pleadingly at the Captain and Generals.

They nod and I take an experimental swing with my blades. For some reason, the only sound is thankfully a quiet _snick_. I awkwardly make a hole and put the metal down, Rex assisting to make sure no pieces fall and clatter. I hurriedly get Kenobi and Skywalker free, then finally open the one holding Tano and Fives.

"Isn't there a senator we were supposed to rescue?" I barely manage to keep track of Skywalker as he rushes past. He opens a cell and comes back carry back a chestnut haired woman bridal style.

"We'll hijack a ship. Ahsoka, you, Rex, and Twitch will take everyone and get out of here. Head in a straight line. We will pick you up." Obi-wan orders. Anakin reluctantly hands over the woman to his Padawan. Both women must be the same size, so it's hard to tell wether Tano is having difficulty or not with her charge.

Rex slings his injured brother over his shoulders like a scarf. I cut a hole in the wall, letting the Jedi Force-push it the rest of the way. I go out first. When no shots fly at my head, I get the others. They take point while I bring up the rear, watching in case a surprise attack starts.

As soon as we are out of shooting range, I face the front and keep going. Half an hour later, one of the pirates' ships land in front of us. I get in front of everyone, seeing how I'm the only one armed. Kenobi runs down the ramp, handing out our guns before taking Fives from Rex. We get in, pick up R2, and leave Florrum behind.

§ § §

I am helpfully contributing by staying near Fives in the dormitory. This ship has no medical bay. I soak the cloth on his forehead with more cold water. His eyes blink open. This is the first time he's woken since we escaped. He is delirious, and I think he was having hallucinations.

"Twitch, don't send me back. You've got to promise not to send me back! The nightmares..." He swallows hard. The panic in his voice nearly breaks my heart.

"_Shh_, it's okay. I have bad dreams, too. But there are good dreams. Do you remember any good dreams?"

"A meadow. I felt safe. But the nightmares—"

"Nope. No nightmares. Think about that meadow. It's warm, right? The breeze is cool, the smell of green things are in the air." I've never been big on touchy-feely stuff, but I still sit down beside him, link my fingers with his own, and start running my fingers through his hair.

After several more minutes of cooing and stroking his head, he seems to fall asleep. Hopefully to better dreams. The cloth on his forehead is already warm. His fever shows no signs of breaking, but I don't want to move and risk waking him up. I quietly sigh and commit myself to waiting.

§ § §

"We're almost there." My eyes snap open. I'm draped half on Fives, my lower ribs to hip suspended in midair, while my thighs are uncomfortably against the mattress and my chest is on top of my friend's, pressing against his armour. I carefully detach myself from him and turn to face Rex. He looks tired. The ship has been maintained by him and the Jedi alone, which is no small feat.

"Good to know. Please keep your voice down, by the way. It isn't easy to get him asleep."

"How is he?"

"Fever, delirious, hallucinations. I would kill to have a decent med bay and a doctor."

"I believe that." I wet the cloth and place it on Fives's forehead. This, unfortunately, wakes him up. He breathes heavily and looks around with confusion.

"No, no send me back. You have to send me back!" I don't know what he was dreaming, but it must have been good if he is begging to go back asleep. Suddenly, the colour in his his face drains and he thrashes around. I move to hold him down and he slams the heel of his hand into my stomach. I stagger back, trying to breathe and not throw up.

Rex moves to help, but I put up a hand. If he gets involved, Fives will become even worse. I get closer and promptly shove the ARC onto his back before he can expect it and sit on him. He takes another swing at me and I block it. I put a hand in either of his cheeks and make him look me in the eye.

"Fives, calm down! It's me. You know I would never hurt you. Re—" his flailing arm hits me in the head and I fight past the ringing in my ears. "Remember the meadow? You're there. Stop squirming and listen to me." The last command is so firm and authoritative, he freezes. "You are sick, Fives. We WILL help you, but that's only possible if you let us." He ceases all movement and goes limp.

"The nightmares." He whimpers.

"K'uur, k'uur. Udesii, ner vod." I have no idea wether speaking in Mando'a will work or not. He seems to gain his bearings and looks at Rex. A flurry of Mando'a goes between them. The Captain looks distraught by the time they finish.

"Rex, what did he say?" I ask, fear trying to worm it's way into my voice.

"Nothing. Gibberish. He's delirious."

"You're a terrible liar. What did he say?"

"He wants us to say his name in the daily remembrance." I resume holding my sick brother's face in my hands.

"Fives, you listen to me this minute. You are _not_ going to die, got it? If you die, I will drag your spiritual butt back here and hold it down until we get to a medical centre." He nods in understanding, somehow managing a smile to go along with it.

_If only I could give him some of my extra energy. Wait..._

"Rex, have you ever heard of a Jedi transferring someone's energy into another person?"

"Twitch, no. It's too dangerous t—" I grab his arm and practically drag him out of the room.

"Fives. Is. DYING. We throw ourselves into firefights, not expecting to come out alive, and you say giving my dying brother energy is too dangerous?"

"That's different. This is giving some of your life force away."

"Will you at least _ask_ if it's possible?" I demand. He hesitates, but I frown at him until he nods.

"If I come back without a Jedi, expect bad news." He stalks off before I walk back into the room and see that Fives is having a lucid moment.

"Twitch, how bad am I?" I'm about to answer when he speaks again. "And don't lie."

"You're pretty bad. Fever, delirious, hallucinations. You really don't remember?"

"It's fuzzy."

"Well, we only have three more hours before reaching Coruscant. You can try remembering then."

"I don't have that long, do I?"

"If the energy transfer doesn't work, probably not." He raises an eyebrow. "Rex is seeing if a Jedi can transfer someone's energy into another person. It won't matter if the technique doesn't exist, though."

"Behin—" I don't hear the rest of his sentence. My ears are ringing too much. I land and groan. My head pounds. I see the look on Fives's face. This snaps me out of it and I roll away. I stand and glare at the beefy pirate.

"Stowaway." I spit.

"Is that the best insult you have? I can't stow away on my own ship."

"A pirate with a wit? Should I be preparing for the apocalypse? I thought you had mir'osik."

"If you're going to insult me, say it in a language I speak." I smirk. I get a feeling, however, that this is the pirate who had tortured my brother.

"Dung for brains."

"Why do you protect the Fake Fett? You could have fun with him before he dies." Torture him. Yeah, right.

"I'll make it simple so you understand. _I'm_ a 'Fake Fett', and if you call any of my brothers that ever again..." I pause and seem to consider it, though I already know what I'm going to say. I catch Fives's look. He knows I wouldn't tell this low life unless he wasn't going to live. "Well, you _won't_ talk again." He shoots at me. I hadn't seen the gun, but wether I had or not, the result is the same.

I block the laser bolt and lunge, digging my left arm-blade into his back, twisting it to increase the damage. He howls. I draw back and duck a punch, then dig the blade up to my arm into his stomach. He doubles over, then I swing my arm around so the blade is once again fully buried, but this time in his neck. He falls. I look between him and the shell shocked Fives.

The latter will suffer for a while longer. The former, a few minutes. But as much as he deserves it, I can't make anyone suffer like this. I grab his fallen gun and shoot him in the head. I've just dropped the weapon when General Kenobi and Rex dash in. They take in the scene, the Captain glancing from the dead pirate to me.

"That is a lot of tal." He says, looking at the growing pool of blood and scarlet dripping off my blades.

"Not my cleanest kill." I admit. I look at the General. "Sir, I know this sounds out of place, but did Rex explain my idea?"

"Yes, and it is possible, though dangerous. Are you sure you want to try it?" I look back at Fives and nod.

"Yes, sir."

"Then lie down, and don't try getting up right away." I obediently lay on my back in the bunk next to Fives and wait. Soon, I can feel something moving in me, leaving my body. I wait until I'm sure it's over. As soon as I sit up, I understand the wisdom of not standing.

It feels like I've been running for miles without a break. When I look at Fives, though, it is all worth it. His eyes are clearer, he seems more alert, and I swear he's having another lucid moment. I give him a weak smile.

"Worked?" I ask hopefully.

"Yes." He looks at the General. "Thank you."

"Thank you." I add. He and Rex leave. I wobble over and sit next to my friend.

"You're insane. Thanks." He says affectionately.

"Well, I couldn't just sit there and watch you die, right?"

§ § §

I've been pacing for almost two hours. I'm in a hospital, waiting to hear the news about my friend's condition. My energy loan had lasted until we landed, then it was a mad dash to get Fives here. It was the nearest hospital, though I'd be a lot happier if he was in a medical facility made for clones. A Twi'lek woman with blue skin finally speaks.

"You should sit. You'll wear yourself out doing that." I take this as a hint that I'm getting everyone on edge. I listen to her, but my hand starts tapping anyway. "Who's in?" She asks.

"A friend of mine. He lost a lot if blood." After a few minutes of silence, I realize that I should probably ask her. "What about you?"

"My husband is in with a heart condition." I nod in fake understanding. After another half hour, a Rodian doctor walks in, looking up from his clip board just long enough to gesture at me.

I follow him through a doorway and down a couple halls, then into I room. I hug myself and recoil from what I see there. A white sheet covers a body. I feel as though I might throw up. After a few moments, I stop leaning against the wall and remove the sheet area covering the head. I want to say goodbye face to face. I start and look at the Rodian.

"I think you have me confused with the Twi'lek woman." He looks over his clip board quickly.

"Oh! Oh, I'm sorry. Your friend is still being worked on. You have a long wait ahead of you." I follow him back to the waiting room. The sudden shock of it was cruel. No one should have to go through that. I sit next to the blue-skinned woman and hold her hand.

"It was a mix up. He took me to your husband. I'm so sorry." She takes a couple seconds to realize what I mean. She buries her face in her hands, then follows the Rodian. I sit down and resume waiting.

* * *

_A.N. ~ I feel kinda bad for killing off that Twi'lek... Anyways, I'll have Chapter Twenty Eight up within 48 hours, as usual. And please review. I want to hear what you have to say, though haters will be ignored. _

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS: **

**Elek: [EL-eck] yes (shortened to 'lek as 'yeah')**

**K'uur: [Koor] hush**

**Mir'osik: [MEER-OH-sik] dung for brains**

**Tal: [tahl] blood**


	28. Family Matters

_A.N. ~ it's been seven chapters. Know what that means? It means I'm going to remind you that, despite promising George Lucas that I'd do a good job, he didn't let me have Star Wars, so I don't own it. Oh, cruel world..._

* * *

A woman with black hair streaked with platinum blond shakes me awake.

_How and when did I fall asleep? _

I look at her with confusion.

"You can see..." She looks at her clip board. "Fives, now." I follow her through the door, deep into the building, and into a room with a bewildered looking Fives on a bed. I smile and hurry over.

"Still plan on dying?" I ask quietly.

"You'd just drag me back if I did."

"You heard that, huh?" A prick on my arm spins me around. I have the syringe in my hand so quickly, the woman backs up. I march over to the sink, empty the contents, and wash them away, rinsing out the tube for good measure. I turn on the woman. She makes a break for the door, but I intercept her.

"Why did you take my blood?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"Won't talk." she squeaks. My eyes: level—blazing.

"Who told you to do it?" She makes a less than dignified attempt at slapping me. I raise my arm. I barely have to put effort into keeping it steady.

"Someone important. Won't talk."

"What you did was invasive and deeply personal. Just tell me WHY." She crumbles for a moment.

"Testing!" She slaps a hand over her mouth as though she had just said something to ensure her death. I let her flee. For a moment, we are silent.

"A little rough." Fives comments, as though he is grading me on my interrogation abilities.

"Anyone tries taking my tal, they better be in a bunker."

"I'll believe that." I look over my shoulder.

"You don't think she'll get security, do you?"

"I'll testify in your favour."

Two large security guards walk in. I smirk and follow without argument. "I'll hold you to that." I call over my shoulder. Once I'm outside, I turn on my comm, flipping to the channel of the one I'd snuck Fives.

"Going to court?" The ARC asks.

"I don't think so." I'm forty feet from the entrance when... Well, I'm not sure what exactly happened. Something hard hit me, my rib cage when _crack_, and I'm lying on the ground in a daze. I drag myself into the shadows.

"Haar'chak, that hurt." I groan through the comm.

"What happened?"

"Attacked. Broken ribs. Don't tell anyone in the hospital. Get General Skywalker or Rex."

"But the attacker—"

"Gone. Hurry. Hard to breathe." Now I understand why he needed help to walk when we first met. After about fifteen minutes, I hear his voice.

"Skywalker is on his way. I'll comm you once he gets here." I can't trust my judgement of time, but I think it's twenty minutes later when I hear Anakin's voice.

"Twitch, where are you?"

"About forty feet from the front door."

"I'll be there soon."

"K'oyacyi." Fives says. I manage a smile.

"Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur." I reply tightly before the comm goes dead. A few minutes later, I prop myself up and vomit, then shuffle backwards and lay my head on my arm. I moan and cough. In the dim predawn light, I can see that blood is mixed into the other contents of my stomach.

The pain in my chest makes me want to stop sucking in air. I'm pretty sure my one or both of my lungs are punctured. I cough and feel something trickle out of my lips. I rub my cheek and look at it. The liquid is dark. Blood.

"Twitch?" A man hisses.

"General?" My voice comes out unexpectedly quiet, but it's all I can manage. Thankfully, Skywalker finds me almost instantaneously. He touches my shoulder and I let out a frail, high pitched whimper. Through the pain, I try to express my embarrassment at the noise as best I can in my emotions. He Force-lifts me.

"Not this hospital. Clone one. Please...clone one." I weakly beg.

"There's internal bleeding. I can't—"

"General, just this once, obey a clone's orders." I've gone too far, but I'll worry about that if I live to look back on this. I can feel myself being placed in a speeder's seat.

§ § §

I blacked out. That's the only explanation for me to close my eyes to blink, then open them to see that I'm in a room with a tube dripping drugs into my arm and a bacta cast around my chest

_How did they get my gauntlets off? _

I trust my brothers with my life, but a drug is a drug is a drug. I grab the plastic and smoothly rip it out of my arm. Next, I tear off the bandages that had held the tube in place. A familiar face comes in, stopping to take in the carnage I've wreaked upon my bandages.

"Won't let me put it back?"

"I have trust issues inside hospitals." I reply.

"Skywalker said you were stubborn."

"So true, yet so wrong." He tries to wrap his head around the made-up phrase.

"I'll take your word for it. Will an injection—" I shake my head before he can finish. "Pills? Sprays?"

"Either or." Is all I say. He gives me a cup of water and opens a container, shaking two pills out and handing them to me. I knock them back and gulp down the water. I let him take the empty cup.

"Y'know what I can't figure?" He says.

"If I could read your mind, I would." I get an irritated look for that one. "Sorry. What?" I say in a more apologetic tone.

"Why a civvy was brought to a clone hospital instead of one for...well, civilians."

"I guess the man who brought me here thought it was urgent."

"Hmm." He grunts. The clone gently checks the that are wrapped around my torso. I note that he's careful where he places his fingers. He leaves without another word. I should've asked how long I need to stay.

§ § §

My relief at seeing Rex is short lived.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

"Working on it."

"You could have died." He crosses his arms.

"We're soldiers. We could die any day."

"You were thirty feet from a hospital."

"One of the nurses tried stealing a sample of my blood. I wasn't going to give her another chance."

"THAT'S why you risked your life?" The Captain's arms drop in disbelief.

"Yes! I'd rather be dead than a lab rat."

"You would've been free to go after you healed!" Our voices are rising.

"Maybe, but they would still have my blood! You don't get how many times I've been attacked for it."

"Blood, you can get back. Your life is a one time deal."

"I know that! Arguing about it won't make me go back in time and make a different decision. I came to the hospital where I belonged and trusted the medics.

"You DON'T belong here!" Silence follows that comment.

"I need to rest now. Goodbye, Captain." He hesitates, opening and closing his mouth as though there is something else he wants to say. I pointedly close my eyes. Once he's gone, I glare at the ceiling.

_Of course I belong here! I'm a clone and he knows it. And I'll keep telling myself that until I fall asleep. Now if only I knew why I want to be a clone so much._

§ § §

"Captain of the 501st. Must've done something to impress him." The medic says. He's been taking care of me for the past couple days, and taken it upon himself to be my conversation partner. Good thing, too. I get bored.

"Apparently not." I reply glumly. I've been too depressed to humour him as of late. I flinch a little as he injects me, but don't protest.

"Why're you so scared of needles, anyway?" He asks. This makes me come a little more alive.

"I'm not _scared_, I'm just..." I struggle for the right word.

"Uh-huh." He agrees quickly.

"Just have a bad past with them. Could we change the subject?" I say.

"Sure. Ever seen a battle droid?"

"Too many for my taste."

"Alright..." He seems to be thinking through that comment and what to say next.

"Ever seen a Sith?" I wince.

"Unfortunately."

"Who are you?" He looks surprised.

"The only female soldier in the 501st."

"Aren't you a little young?"

"Commander Tano is only a year older than me. I'm alright."

"Commander Tano is a Jedi. Are you?"

"No. I'm just a kid soldier." He mutters something about 'no understanding', but I don't hear it all. "So, when can I get up?"

"Tomorrow, if you stay on your meds."

"The promise of near release. Only way to make me cooperative."

"Apparently." He pauses at the door. "You've impressed me, for what it's worth."

"It's worth something. Thanks."

§ § §

I'd gotten my gauntlets at the front desk. As I walk out into the sunlight, I see Rex standing next to a speeder. We haven't talked since the argument.

"Captain." I greet stiffly. He looks taken aback by this, but gets over it quickly.

"Soldier. You and I have an exclusive mission protecting Senator Amidala." My heart falls at this. I'm still holding a grudge against him.

_Wait, wasn't Amidala the senator Fives almost died saving?_

I get in the vehicle and stay quiet as we fly off to a gigantic hole that goes down and down. We land on the precipice. I'm tempted to look over the edge, but a woman in a tight white suit with brown ponytailed hair walks up. Rex salutes and I copy the gesture.

"At ease." She hands Rex a small pile of clothes. He looks at them with uncertainty and I smirk. I almost forget that I'm supposed to be angry with him. I'm already dressed in my usual black bodysuit.

"Civvy clothes, ma'am?"

"I'm doing some undercover investigating. It's hard to stay discreet when you're in full armour." Oh, this'll be good. She directs Rex to a place where he can change. As we wait, my foot starts tapping in agitation and excitement.

"I'm guessing you're Twitch." The Senator says.

"Yes, ma'am."

"You know Captain Rex?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Are you two on good terms?" I hesitate. How much do I tell her?

"Not at the moment." I finally admit.

"You're pretty young to be a soldier." I bite back a not-too-respectful comment.

"That's what everyone tells me."

"So what qualifies you?" In reply, I unsheathe an arm-blade.

"When laser bolts hit me, they just...bounce back." I say with a hint of mischief.

"I see. It isn't quite legal to allow anyone under the age of eighteen to be in the army. Perhaps I should have a word with General Skywalker." I look at her sharply with mock horror.

"And deprive me of the action I so enjoy? Ma'am, with all due respect, if I was kicked out of the army, I'd just continue to fight Separatists on my own." She regards me with uncertainty. I'm way out of my depth level, arguing with a senator.

Luckily, Rex shows up, carrying all his armour in an awkward way. Despite myself, I wordlessly take some of the white pieces off his hands and carry them to the back of the speeder. We deposited them and pile in.

The Senator produces three comm links that are likely hard wired to each other. I put mine on my left wrist. We continue flying downwards until we stop at level forty eight. I inwardly wince at the number. Not so pleasant going-ons took place here...

"Rex, Twitch, you two ask around about a Duros named Cad Bane." Splitting up. On one condition...

"Ma'am, it's our job to protect you. I have to insist that you bring us with you." Rex beats me to it.

"I can take are of myself, Captain." My turn to try politics.

"So can the Captain. At least bring me with you." Besides; someone might see the blooming family similarities. And yet, despite how irritated I am with him, I'm still reluctant to let Rex out of my sight down here. He isn't allowed to use his blaster unless it's on stun, which gives him a major disadvantage. I've set mine to the less deadly setting too, but my arm-blades don't have a 'stun' option. Unless I just use the gauntlets.

"Fine. Meet back here in exactly two hours. Comm in if you'll be delayed or need assistance." Amidala sounds like a military officer.

_Oh, boy. This promises to be interesting._

We split up. Padme leads me to the Bar and Lounge. The largest bar and...well, lounge, on this level. We are walking past a plastic pillar with a counter attached to it when a hand on my shoulder startles me. I turn around and almost yelp. An Abyssin opens his mouth, revealing a neatly cut tongue.

_Oh! Oh. Oh..._

"Um, nice to see you again." I say. He growls and swings at my head. I duck and raise my arms.

_No seriously harming or killing civvies. Haar'chak, there should be specifics for that rule!_

I block another punch and realize he has my arm in a vice-tight grip. I'm lifted off the floor.

"Fek. You grew a spine." I mutter. He tries to punch me again, but I swing my body back, then wrap my legs around the arm. I twist hard. A loud crack, a crunching feeling, and I'm dropped.

"Kriff!" The Abyssin yells. Of course, there are already so many fights and there's so much noise that no one gives us a second glance. I get off my back and consider drawing my guns, but that would be a little obvious. We are, after all, undercover.

He bends down and charges, clearly intending to head but me. I twist at the last second and hook his head with my leg, bringing his face around straight into my other knee. I barely get my feet under me before gravity causes more damage, but the Abyssin collapses to the floor. The corners of my lips twitch back in an 'oops' as I kneel and check his pulse, which is steady. I glance up at Amidala. She looks shell shocked.

"Don't worry, I didn't kill him. He's only unconscious. Probably minor concussion..." Another _oops_ expression as I stand. I look up and see about five more Abyssins starting to get up, reaching for guns and glaring at us. "Oops." I grumble.

* * *

_A.N. ~ _

Fives: _leave it to Twitch to somehow run into the guy she be-tongued. _

Twitch:_ my luck never was that reliable._

Rex:_ luck is never reliable._

Twitch *crossing her arms and turning her back slightly to the Captain*:_ no, it isn't._

Fives: _brrr. You two sure are friendly. _

Me:_ I give up! I just can't get you guys out of my notes. Readers, please review. The next chapter will be up within 48 hours._


	29. Forgiveness

I grab an empty table and flip it on its side just as the shooting begins. The Senator ducks beside me.

"Sorry." I say.

"Apparently, you didn't have much time to talk." She assures me.

"Good thing, too. I would've only made him angrier."

"What started it?" She asks with breathy amusement.

"I cut out his tongue." I answer before grabbing both my guns. I double check their settings and quickly return fire. I have to get Amidala out of here. I hand her one of the weapons and open up the other. I quickly do some tinkering and point it at the wall where I'd moved the table away, pulling the trigger.

What looks like a simple stun blast circle hits the metal, but instead of dissipating, it burns a hole right through. Half stun blast, mostly the 'this will kill you' setting.

"And there goes thirty of my shots." I mutter before quickly fixing the inner works of my weapon. I start slowly sliding the table towards the opening. One of our assaulters pops up over the top and instinctively kick him in the head. Something searing hot grazes my leg. I yelp and shove Padme out the hole before following her. I click on my comm. "Rex, trouble. Speeder, quickly, now." I say.

"Coming. Is that blaster fire?" I duck a bolt right after the question.

"Maybe." I answer with an innocent tone that replies, 'yes'. I block a shot and keep running behind the Senator. My leg is bleeding and sore.

"You're hurt." She says.

"Only a graze. Hang a left!" We turn into an alleyway and I look at the side of the building. Long pieces of metal stick out in uniform rectangular bands along the wall. With silent consent, we start climbing. Just as we get our fingers to the roof, shooting rings out. I block a shot aimed at the Senator and bark an insult in the Abyssins' native tongue. More firing.

I pull myself to the top and reach for the Senator's hand. She stretches, then something I was supposed to prevent at all costs happens. A green bolt hits her left shoulder. I lunge forward and grab her hand, pulling straight up. The effort is massive, but I manage to get her to the top. She clutches the wound.

"Senator? Ma'am, I know it hurts. You have to k'atini until we make it to the speeder, alright?" I help her up and start running as fast as possible. She's pretty light for a woman her age (whatever that is), but we are still going fairly slow. Laser bolts nip our heels as we run. My comm beeps. I somehow manage to turn it on.

"I'm at the speeder. Where are you?" Rex asks.

"Both of us are injured. Doing our best. Get the engines fired up. We're coming in hot." I warn. The next time we jump onto the nearest roof, we almost don't make it. Ironically, it is me blocking another bolt that gives us enough momentum to keep moving forward. My pant leg is getting soaked, the Senator is in bad condition, and the Abyssins are still trying to kill us.

"I only hit your guy in self defence. Usenye!" I shout over my shoulder. It doesn't work. Usenye: it would probably be better if you just said 'go away' in a less insulting manner. The buildings end and I somehow get us both down using trash bins. I see our speeder about a hundred meters away.

Rex moves to help us, but I gesture wildly for him to stay put. If the guy gets hurt, I'd have to leave him behind. Civilians—especially senators—come first before clones. I don't like it, but that's just the way it is. I twist and make us walk sideways, forcing the bolts to only come at my body, where they are blocked. Despite the circumstances, I'm enjoying the exercise. They're gaining on us. We still have sixty meters. I may hate myself for this...

"Okay, get her out of here. I'll keep them off your back." I say into my comm. In a few seconds, the older soldier takes the senator away, and I turn to face the Abyssins. If this doesn't work... I run several feet to the right of my companions. The blaster fire follows me. I take a chance and run farther away. They swerve to follow me. Duh! Padme didn't give that alien a tongue-cut or concussion, and they don't even know Rex. I'm the one they have a quarrel with. I run and flick on my comm.

"Get the Senator out of here and come back for me later." I say.

"Ever considered leadership training?" Comes the sarcastic reply.

"My casualty rate would be higher than Krell's. Get going." I growl, refusing to entertain his banter. As soon as I'm a good distance, I turn. I slice the first Abyssin's gun and stun blast him. I pivot and twist out of more bolts' paths. I shoot again, but they dodge.

Unfortunately, just like me, these guys live for war. Their species has a very violent history. Their limbs grow back, but I'm still not supposed to hurt them. Fekking rules, I'm dead. They have my arms.

"We will torture the," he calls me a name I don't care to translate, "before we kill it." I lift my feet off the ground and kick the speaking Abyssin in the chest so hard, he staggers back. The two holding my arms had just a tight enough grip on me to support my weight.

"I'm not an 'it'." The fourth hits me, making a cut on my cheek. I screech a string of insults and curses in every language I know. I'm getting sick and tired of being captured and tortured.

"Temper, temper." Someone says. I twist to see tall, bald and skinny watching from a rooftop. Just what I need. I turn my blazing eyes back to look at the Abyssins. They regard Ventress with caution, but no one is letting me go.

I twist my arm-blades and skin one's hand. He relinquishes his grip in surprise and I twist around, punching the one still clinging to my left arm in the eye. He yells profanity and holds a hand to his face. Asajj jumps down next to me and faces the three still standing.

"Don't kill anyone." I say.

"Your orders, not mine." She says indifferently.

"How'd you even _get_ on Coruscant?" I ask as we fight. She doesn't kill them, just hurts them. Soon, five incapacitated Abyssins lie at our feet.

"A good bounty hunter never tells her secrets." My arm-blades are still out, and I look at her wearily.

"So, I'm assuming you're not Dooku's..." I was going to say 'pet', but seeing how she just helped me, and I'm injured, I choose safer words. "Apprentice, anymore?"

"He replaced me with a monster, then slaughtered my people. Does that answer your question?"

"Yes, but I know he also placed a bounty on my head, so I'm a little careful around bounty hunters."

"Poor dear. Why don't you just give up already?"

"Why haven't you?" I counter.

"Fair enough, Thirty Seven." Her favourite nickname when not trying to insult me.

"I go by Twitch now." I say.

"Cute. So, do I kill you, or do you promise to keep your trap shut about seeing me?" In my current condition, she could probably snuff me. Who am I kidding? In my healthiest condition, she can beat me.

"I'll keep quiet." I concede. She turns and starts walking away. "Ret'urcye mhi." I murmur as I turn to leave. Though, I can't see that going well.

§ § §

"You two had ONE job. All you had to do was protect the Senator. What. Happened?" Skywalker asks, a vicious fire in his eyes. How am I going to explain this? '_Yeah, I was attacked by an alien I be-tongued once, and after I beat him up, his buddies started shooting at us.'_

"One time, I cut out an Abyssin's tongue. We ran into him in the bar, and he attacked me. I knocked him out, but five of his friends started shooting at us." I don't try adding 'sorry', because that would probably infuriate him more.

"And how did the Senator get shot? I've seen you protect troops larger than her from blaster fire."

"We were climbing a building to get an advantage. I reached the roof first, so I tried pulling her up. That's when she was hit." In retrospect, I should've stayed glued to her side. We are currently at the entrance to the Jedi Temple. I'd rather not be here right now. Rex is beside me, standing at attention, just as I am.

"You put her _life_ at risk. What if it had been her head?" He's almost shouting.

"Then she would have died, sir. I'm sorry for my mistake." Fear is prickling through me. I almost expect him to hit me. Kenobi comes through the doors. He quickly takes in the scene.

I push the word 'help' into my mind as loudly and forcefully as possible, begging him to get us out of this. Skywalker gives me a death glare when I do this. Kenobi walks closer.

"I think you've gotten the message through. Dismissed." He says. We salute and walk stiffly away. As soon as we reach the speeder and take off, I let out a pent up breath. Yikes. My thoughts must be apparent on my face.

"He wouldn't have hurt you. He can scare the osik out of you, but he wouldn't hurt you." The foul language and reassurance break through my emotions and I relax.

"Does he do that a lot?" I forget myself. Being in that firefight with Rex's life on the line reminded me that I still care what happens to his sorry shebs. Of course, his life is on the line every battle, but when a civvy is involved, things change.

"No. I don't remember the last time he was that angry."

"I really screwed up, huh?" If Amidala died, Fives' near-death experience would've been for nothing, and Anakin would probably have actually hit me.

"You did what you could in a bad situation. Civvies always complicate things."

"Word on the street says little sisters do, too." I enjoy these rare moments where I can actually talk like his sister and not like just some kid soldier.

"So, I take it all is forgiven since you're talking to me?" I give him an 'apology first' look. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did. I was worried." I give him a mischievous smile.

"Worried about what? I'm too stubborn to die, di'kut."

"So true, ner vod." Hearing him call me his sister breaks any tension left, giving me a warm feeling in my chest.

"So, which planet are we going to now."

"We're going to take another crack at Krovell."

"Sounds like fun. You can have the memory loss this time."

"Ah. Still not quite forgiven."

"Oh, I forgive you. I just don't like not knowing what I did for a week." I hear something off and listen carefully. A faint beeping is coming from my gauntlets. I shade one with my hand and see that a faint green glow is coming from them. The beeping speeds up and I get a bad feeling. Suddenly, I know what's happening.

I tear the weapons off and throw them straight up. _Boom._ I shield my head with my arms, yelping when my right one gets badly burned. Rex lands the speeder. I look back at the smoke where my gauntlets had exploded. A string of curses race through my head. Kriff!

"You're hurt. How bad is it?" Rex says. I focus on the pain.

"I don't know. I don't think it's too bad." Exploded. How? They can take lightsabers, and exploded?

"Let's get you back to that hospital." I look at him sharply. He sighs. "Yes, the clone one."

§ § §

"You again?" The medic asks when he comes into the room.

"Me again." I agree. I've been in this room alone for five minutes. I'm tired, I'm shocked, and I would rather be sleeping right now.

"What happened this time?"

"Explosion."

"And I thought my brothers got into scrapes." I almost say 'yeah, but your sister is better at it', but I catch myself. My mood has been forming like a thunderhead, becoming stormy and making me dangerous to approach. He fixes up my arm and leg, then sends me on my way. Rex looks as tired as I feel. We get back in the speeder and head for the western docks.

"I'm dead." I finally say.

"Since when?"

"Since I've relied in those gauntlets for a year. Do you know what'll happen next time we're in a fire fight? I'll try to block a bolt and get killed."

"You'll adapt. What did you do for the three months without your gauntlets?"

"I got caught by Separatists."

"You'll figure it out. Just take cover when the fighting starts and shoot from there." I nearly roll my eyes in sarcasm. Why hadn't _I_ thought of that? Skywalker and his Padawan are waiting for us at a small Jedi Consular Cruiser.

Judging by the General's none-too-surprised expression, Rex had already told him what happened. Ahsoka, however, seems to have missed the memo. She looks from my cross expression to my bare arms. We salute and walk on board.

"One of our men is coming with us back to the Resolute." Skywalker explains. Inside, sitting in one of the seats, is another clone with blue highlights. He stands and salutes.

"At ease." Ahsoka says. He sits down.

"General, Commander. The environmental system has a glitch, so the ride is going to be a little chilly." Great. We sit down. After takeoff, Skywalker gets up and heads down to the engine room to try fixing the environmentals. Ahsoka leaves to get food from the Mess. The new soldier takes off his helmet. My eyes pass over a large scar on his left cheek and keep moving so no awkwardness ensues.

"Kid?" I look up. Weird tone. It sounded more like recognition than prompting.

"Yes?" He half smiles.

"Nice cutters. A little outdated, though." It takes me a moment to remember. My mouth opens a little in shock.

"Splinter! But…" Guilt flashes through me. That huge scar. All my fault. I avert my gaze. "I—I'm sorry. I..."

"Kid, you were fighting three boars at once. You couldn't have—"

"I almost got you killed!" I blurt out.

§ § §

REX'S P.O.V.

What? I look at Twitch. Guilt is written on her face. I look back at the scarred soldier. He looks just as taken aback. I take off my helmet. The sound causes Twitch to start. She always gets jumpy when things are tense.

"I was dumped in a pit with a rancor. You were fighting a dozen guards. It's something you came after me at all."

"Uh..." Escapes my lips before I remember I'm supposed to not talk. I can be such a di'kut. Twitch doesn't explain, still looking guilted.

"I got caught by Jabba the Hutt back on Tatooine. The kid tried getting me out. We got separated, though. Big slug dumped me in a pit with a rancor. Kid put up a haran of a fight." I look at Twitch, still no change in expression.

"Knowing her, I'll bet she did." A blank face covers the guilt. She looks straight ahead and doesn't talk. The last time I saw her this upset was Umbara.

"Kid..." Splinter pleads.

"…" I tip my head ever so slightly towards the door. The soldier and I get up simultaneously and walk out.

"How well do you know Twitch?" I ask.

"Not very. She'd tried saving me before we reached the palace, but that went badly. She tried again later."

"She's persistent. She also takes time to get over things. She has a habit of taking it upon herself to keep as many of us alive as possible."

"Isn't she a little young to be fighting in the war?"

"Yes, but even if we kicked her out of the army, she'd just keep on going."

"I can see her doing that. Why does she care so much?"

"If she decides to explain to you, that's her choice. Just don't push it, or she'll never talk."

"Learn that from experience, sir?"

"Unfortunately." We walk back in.

§ § §

SPLINTER'S P.O.V. ~ BACK FLASH

I limp along the top of the sand dune. Four large Gamorrean boars flank me, one pulling on the chains around my wrists. A loud shot rings out and I look up at where it had come from.

A young girl with wispy black hair and blazing golden eyes is sliding down a mountain of a dune, shooting with two DC-17 hand blasters. She leaps at the last second and whirls around, facing the boars. They dwarf her, but she raises her arms and shifts into a fighting position. I can't believe this. She's going to get killed!

Three of the Gamorreans advance, hefting their axes. Blades come out of her white gauntlets. The moment one swings at her, she hops out of the way, slashing his shoulder. He roars and she does an impressive series of twists and flips, all the while darting in and out of range to cut the boars.

One swings his hand out of frustration and loses it. Unfortunately, while she was distracted by him, another one kicks her. She stumbled back and looks up, glancing from me to the three advancing enemies. I can see in her eyes she knows she can't win in this fight. She mouths 'sorry' and runs. A quick series of grunts and squeals pass from the boars, and we keep moving.

_That kid had seemed familiar..._

* * *

_A.N. ~ dun, dunn, dunnnnn (again). My brain just went completely blank on anything to say, so I'll just ask that you please review and Chapter Thirty will be up within 48 hours._

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS: **

**Useneye: [oo-SEN-yeh] go away (very rude - from the same root as osik)**

**Ret'urcye Mhi: [Ray-TOOR-shay MEE] goodbye (Literally; 'maybe we'll mewt again'.)**

******Osik: [OH-sik] dung (impolite)**

******Shebs: [shebs] backside, rear, buttocks, butt (also rear of buildings, ETC)**

******Haran: [HAH-rahn] hell (Literally; destruction, cosmic annihilation)**


	30. Guilt

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I watch the wall and don't let anything show on my face. Guilt is still mixed in along with my relief that Splinter is alive. He and Rex had stepped outside for a couple minutes. I can guess what they were talking about.

"The 501st, huh? How'd you manage that?" Splinter finally asks. I inwardly cringe at the thought of talking.

"General Kenobi assigned me after we won Umbara. I guess he thought it would keep me out of trouble." I can see Rex smirking from my right in my peripheral vision.

"Let's not forget how you snuck down to the surface against direct orders." He says. I can feel my cheeks heat up and elbow him, though it hurts.

"Cui ogir'olar." I mutter.

"Not much for orders?" Splinter teases. I give him one of my scowls.

"Only time I disobeyed orders. Yet." Rex gives me a look. I give him one back.

"So, what happened to your gauntlets?" The scarred trooper says.

"Blew up. Today, actually. Not good timing." I've loosened up a bit.

"I thought...how?"

"I don't know." Skywalker comes back. He gives me an 'I-don't-know-what-to-think-of-or-do-with-you' look before leaving the room again, probably going to the Mess Hall. I can see the question forming on Splinter's lips. He hesitates.

"Uh..." He leaves it at that.

"Got a Senator shot on a mission. He's holding a grudge over it." My explanation doesn't clear things up too well. He doesn't prod, though. I realize how hungry I am and think of the Mess Hall with Skywalker in it. Ugh. I'll wait.

§ § §

SPLINTER'S P.O.V. ~ FLASH BACK

I stay on my knees, watching Jabba with narrowed eyes. He growls something and his translator droid takes over.

"The powerful Jabba wishes to know why the Republic sent a squad of clones so close to his palace."

"We weren't going to go near your palace. We were here for classified reasons." My grief and exasperation are boiling over.

_The slug had my squad killed for coming too close to his palace? _

Two shots ring out. The guards standing next to me fall over. I look in shock at the doorway. The kid is standing there, guns up and eyes flashing. Her blades are out and covered in blood.

"I've got some news for the great and mighty Hutt Lord. Y'can't take whoever you please prisoner. All I want is the clone. Now, we can fight it out and have a whole mess on our hands, or you could let me walk out of here with the trooper and we can all go about our day happily." The Hutt yells at his droid.

"Insolence directed at the great Jabba will not be tolerated. Guards, seize her." The kid rolls her eyes and holsters her guns.

"Everyone has to complicate things." She mutters. Two guards attack her. With dizzying speed, she kills them. My mouth opens slightly as she dispatches boars left and right, fighting as much with her legs as with her arms. She maneuvers next to me and cuts my chains. The kid gives me her guns.

"Thanks. How..."

"How am I doing so good now?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not trying to avoid casualties anymore. That, and I ate." I notice for the first time how skinny she is.

"I didn't catch your name." I keep shooting as she cuts down guards. I'm thoroughly impressed by the speed and grace with which she fights.

"I didn't give it. Though, I am interested in yours."

"It's Splinter. Nice cutters. A little outdated, though." Three boars advance on her, then more. She backs up, forced into the other room. Jabba shouts something and all the guards clear out from around me.

Before I know it, I'm falling. I land on my side, cracking my shoulder. I yell in pain, but get up. Bones of varying sizes are everywhere. I hear an ear splitting screech and whip around.

§ § §

SKYWALKER'S P.O.V.

Mixed emotions swirl around inside of me. Twitch had almost gotten Padme killed. Why is it so hard for me to be angry with her? Is it because I hadn't been there and hadn't seen the whole thing?

I think from her point of view for a minute. I'm a young teenager who is surrounded by brothers who don't know who I am and may never accept me, and my General is angry at me. That destroys any ill will I'm still holding against her.

"Master?" Ahsoka prompts. I look at her. "Are you alright?" I half smile.

"I'm fine, Snips. Going to take another crack at the environmental system." I stand and walk back to the engine room.

§ § §

TWITCHES P.O.V.

Goosebumps dot my arms. I shiver. Rex has just headed to the Mess, leaving me and Splinter alone. I don't know if I'm comfortable with this.

"No kit, huh?" He says.

"It'd slow me down. And they don't have any in my size."

"Any armour?"

"My gauntlets. Until they blew up.

"Twitch, I don't blame you." I see the conviction in his eyes and know he isn't lying.

"I blame me." I counter, still unhappy.

"How big are you?" I give him a puzzled look.

"Uh...five, five."

"How heavy are you?"

"No more than one oh five pounds."

"How old are you?"

"Thirteen."

"How many kids your age and size could fight even one of those boars?" I shrug.

"Commander Tano is only a year older than me."

"She's a Jedi. The point is, you aren't a superhuman. You killed at least a dozen guards, and still got out of there in one piece. That's something only a Jedi could probably do." I put on a passive expression. I'll work on my emotions later. For now, it's best if he thinks he reassured me.

"So, uh, how'd you get out?"

"'Bout an hour of me running around like a headless eopie, the Hutt got bored. Got me out of there and planned on torturing me. I was waiting in my cell, and told the boar Jabba wanted to see me. Mir'osik fell for it and took me out."

"His funeral."

"It was." I half smile.

"So, when's the last time you practiced hand-to-hand?" He hesitates.

"A while, but...I don't want to hurt you." My head tilts back as I laugh.

"Trust me, you wouldn't." He still looks reluctant, but nods. We walk down to the cargo bay and take up positions. I make the first move, darting in to punch his stomach, he jumps back and roundhouse kicks at my head. I duck and try a kick of my own. He catches it, but I jump and spin like a sideways tornado, wrenching my ankle out of his grasp.

§ § §

SPLINTERS P.O.V.

Kriff! Even though I expect her to be fast, I didn't think she'd be this quick. It takes all of my effort to block and dodge the kicks she's sending at me. I'm getting in a few punches and kicks, but by the time my foot or hand reaches where she'd been, she's behind me.

I'm getting more and more frustrated as Twitch dances around me in full battle mode. Even with my HUD's wrap around vision, it's hard to keep track of her. I don't risk trying anything when she's spinning or flipping to get a better position, lest I get hit in the head. If I thought commando droids were tough...

"Where are you two?" Rex's voice filters through my helmet. I barely block a kick and send punches at thin air.

"Currently, sir, we're sparring in the cargo bay." I reply through the helmet-to-helmet comm.

"And?" I can her amusement in his voice.

"I'm getting my shebs handed to me. Requesting reinforcements." As Twitch turns, most likely to send me another kick, I wrap my arms around her shoulders. To my surprise, she backs up, grabbing my forearms, and before I can think, I'm on my back, gasping for air. I can hear the door open and groggily turn my head. Rex is walking in. I groan and sit up.

"Still need reinforcements?" The Captain asks.

"And a medic." Twitch gives me a look.

"Are you okay?" She says.

"Yeah. Where'd you learn that one?"

"Fives. He'll probably be on the Resolute." From the name, I'm guessing Fives is a clone. Rex offers me a hand. I only give him a small portion of my weight, though. Admitting I lost to a kid would embarrass me to no end. Rex seems to read my mind.

"Don't worry about it. Twitch is..." He seems to be looking for the right word.

"I'm hyperactive." She offers.

"Hence your name?" I guess, though I'm curious what her real name is. She nods. I can't believe how bright her eyes have gotten. It's like she's drawing energy from fighting.

"You take a break. I'll see if I can take her down." Rex says good-naturedly.

"Good luck." I say. I sit on a crate and watch as the two get ready. This is going to be very fun to watch. Now if only my back wasn't aching.

§ § §

REX'S P.O.V.

I've never seen her fight like this before. It's dizzying and hard to keep up with. Usually, she just swings her arm and cuts something, and I'm afraid to think of what would happen if I was an enemy and she had her gauntlets right now.

She's also a lot faster than usual, which nearly puts her at Jedi reflexes. I'm almost curious to see what would happen if Commander Tano and Twitch fought. Instead of blocking, my little sister is just dodging my blows. Soon, I stop trying to hold back and fight as though my life depends on it. I catch her arm, but her limb is gone in the next two seconds.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

Rex is harder to fight than Splinter, but I'm still craving a more difficult adversary. I'd simply tackle him if I wanted this to end right away, but I know he'd win if I did. I lose my advantage when I fight like that. He apparently know this, though, since he tries it.

I let him and grab his shoulders, roll onto my back, and shove my foot against his chest. The Captain goes flying over my head. I roll sideways and hop up. My raised fists lower when I see the redness of his cheeks and how hard he's breathing. His helmet is off, probably shaken loose when I tossed him. I realize I'm worn out too and sit down.

"Fives didn't teach you all of that." He grunts.

"No. She fought like that on Tatooine. Was a lot deadlier with her gauntlets." Splinter says.

"Well—I don't want to kill you two! I could, but I don't want to." I protest.

"I've never seen you fight like that before." Rex says.

"That style of fighting takes too much energy. It also leaves me vulnerable during firefights. It's specifically for close ranged combat."

"Doubt anything would hit you." He mutters as he stands. I hear a quiet scuffle behind me. A sound that I can guess is a push off makes me dart to my left, pivoting off my hand. Splinter stumbles a little and I tackle him. I let it go at that and roll away, grinning. He sits up.

"How..."

"I heard you." I explain. "You weren't exactly ARC trooper silent." He gives Rex a bewildered look. I can guess what he's thinking. How could a kid fight and hear so well? The Captain shrugs.

"Paranoia. She hears things most of us wouldn't because her senses are in overdrive." Reasonable explanation. My stomach growls.

"Anyone else hungry?"

§ § §

Ahsoka is the only one inside the Mess Hall when we walk in. She perks up, looking at Rex and Splinter.

"Are you two alright?" Oops. I think I might've hurt them.

"We learned some vital information for our survival, ma'am." Splinter reports.

"And?"

"Never fight Twitch."

"Sorry." I mutter.

"What happened?" She demands.

"We were sparring, and um...I guess I got a little carried away." I shrug.

"If she used that combat style every battle, we wouldn't have to fight." Splinter praises.

"Maybe you could show me later." Ahsoka says. My stomach growls. First things first. We get our food and sit down next to the Padawan. She smirks and looks at the older men.

"So, how did a kid who isn't a Jedi manage to beat both of you up?"

"Um, uh..." They exchange helpless looks.

"It's very hard to keep track of where she is sometimes." Rex explains, though a tinge of pink is colouring his and Splinter's cheeks.

"Don't worry about it. I'm hyperactive, after all." I say, amused by my friend's hypocrisy. The food is disgustingly bland, and I've had better, but I just eat it.

* * *

_A.N. ~ so, now that I've made Twitch that much more dangerous, the next chapter will be here for your eyes to see within 48 hours. Please review, critics and encouragers. Haters will be ignored._

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS:**

**Cui Ogir'olar: [COO-ee oh-GEER-oh-LAR] it's neither here or there (it's irrelevant)**


	31. Planet Of Death

Now this is a challenge. After eating, we've come back down to the cargo bay. I'm squared off with and fighting Ahsoka. She is apparently familiar with my combat style, because she's spinning around as much as I am. I'm hard pressed to keep up my maneuvers and attempt to get a hit in.

I can hear the door open in the background, but I'm too focused on staying on even ground with the Padawan to look. I do a twisting backflip. For a moment, the world is just a blur and only the sensation of weightlessness remains, then I straighten out and spin kick. Ahsoka dodges and tries two kicks in a row. I block them and jump out of her reach.

I'm on the defensive for now. The tables turn in my favour, however, when I crouch like a frog to dodge another kick, then stick out my right leg and do a 360 'round sweep. My adversary jumps over my leg, but I lift it up with her as I stand, knocking her feet out from under her. She lands on her back and rolls before I can get in a blow. Now I take the offensive and start whirling around, trying to hit something.

§ § §

SKYWALKER'S P.O.V.

I stand with my arms crossed behind Rex and Splinter. My Padawan and Twitch are in mid combat. The acrobatic fighting technique they're using is clearly bewildering the Captain and scarred soldier. I can sense their amazement and...soreness?

"Are you two alright?" I check. Rex snaps out of it.

"Yes, sir. We made the mistake of sparring with Twitch earlier. Fives is going to have his hands full once we get back on the Resolute." We exchange small, knowing smiles and return our gazes to the fight.

The two young girls break apart, nod to each other, and sit down by unspoken consent. They're both drenched in sweat and panting. I look at Twitch's expression. She looks content and happy. Ahsoka looks tired, but pleased.

"It seems you've met your match, Snips." I say. Twitch looks at me with surprise, silently asking, _you mean you were watching?_. Their chests are still heaving. I can't blame them. Rex was right. Fives has his work cut out for him.

§ § §

AHSOKA'S P.O.V.

A tie. And she managed to get me off my feet for a couple seconds. I'm impressed. My master seems to have gotten over what was troubling him. Those had been extensive and difficult techniques and moves Twitch was using.

"Where did you learn that?" I ask her.

"I taught myself." She answers innocently. What?! How? I blink in surprise. She taught herself a style of fighting that usually only Jedi can do. I feel the tremor of our ship latching onto the Resolute. Maybe I should talk to Anakin later.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

Two days after my sparring match with Ahsoka, I'm sitting in the Mess with Fives, Tup, and Splinter. Fives and I had just finished a hand-to-hand session, and his expression still says, _since when could you do that?_. Tup has been goofing off, as usual, by trying to snitch food from my plate.

"What happened to your gauntlets again?" He asks.

"They blew up. Can we not talk about it?" I ask, glad I found a long-sleeved shirt to hide my scars.

"I'm still trying to figure how they could explode. They can handle lightsabers." Fives ponders.

"They did. Apparently, explosions are too much."

"If you could shoot straight and spin around like you did during sparring at the same time, you wouldn't need them." Splinter says.

"If 'ifs' always came true, the Separatists would be gone." I say, swatting Tup's hand for the billionth time. "Try that again and I'm going to start using the knife." I warn playfully. Fives is a bit quieter than usual. His thinking face is on and he's scowling.

"Sorry. You can't best Twitch's frowns." Tup says, following my eyes. The ARC snaps out of it.

"What's got your kama in a twist?" I ask.

"Nothing!" He answers, a little too defensively. I look at Tup for an answer. He and Fives are brothers by choice. They share things with each other that they don't usually with other people. But, my friend only shrugs slightly, clearly just as baffled as I am. I don't push my bounds by trying to talk Fives into telling me anything. He'd probably resent it as much as I would. I decide to change the subject.

"By the way, some di'kut decided it would be a good idea to go into caves abandoned by the Separatists."

"And you think it's a bad idea...because?" Splinter asks.

"Caves are the number one best ambush sites. If the Seppies didn't want us to find the caves, don't you think though would've just destroyed them on their way out?"

"That is so right." Tup says with high-pitched sarcasm. "If you're paranoid." I roll my eyes.

"Do you remember the last times anyone ignored my warnings? A—I ignored it and got caught by a Trandoshan and Rex got beaten to a pulp. B—I said I heard something on Plytunon and the others ignored it. We spent the night shooting and running from commando droids. C—I said Ohnaka would know we were coming and Fives almost died." I leave it at that. I'm tired of my friends almost dying because I let them discard my warnings as 'paranoia'. Splinter looks surprised at the numerous incidents that I rattled off. Tup looks like he's trying to find a retort, and Fives is giving me his attention.

"Does that stuff happen to you regularly?" Splinter manages.

"Something goes wrong pretty much every mission. One reason why I always map out an escape plan in my head in case we need to fall back." I explain.

"You do what?" Fives asks. It isn't in clone nature to retreat. I hate running from a fight, and the very word 'retreat' makes me cringe.

"Just in case. I only use them when it's do or die."

"So you've retreated before?" Tup asks. I slightly flinch at the word.

"For example: Christophsis. Ambush in the towers. Don't tell me there's never been a battle you haven't had to run from. I know you were on Umbara." He gives me a look that says 'don't-bring-up-that-kriffing-haran'. I wish I could forget about it entirely.

§ § §

Another shrieking purple-skinned Krovellen charges our ranks. Its matted red hair catches on her flailing hands. Now I get why this place is called the planet of the dead. We've been repeatedly attacked by undead locals.

A large male dashes at me. I spin out of his way. He chases after me as I backflip and whirl to the side. I can't quite get to my guns because he's somehow always right next to me. If I had my gauntlets, this would be over by ten times. I finally let the (zombie? Yeah, that's the right word for this guy, except he doesn't wanna eat my brains) tackle me and I roll backwards with him.

I grab its neck and snap it, shooting the head for good measure. We've been in close combat with these things for about an hour. I spot Rex in the sea of writhing bodies. He's fighting two gigantic zombies at once.

I try to get to him, but another alien blindsides me. I smash my elbow into its temple and shoot. By now, it's clear their heads are their soft spots. I bump into Tup, who has a skinny twelve-year-old sized zombie scratching at his helmet, clinging to his chest and screaming bloody murder. I grab it by the hair and put two shots in its head.

"Got an escape plan yet?" He asks.

"Been too busy not dying. Why? Getting sleepy?" He shakes his head.

"Are you?" I snipe one that comes up behind him.

"Nope. Watch your left!" Two tank-like zombies are barreling towards us. I shoot at them and get one. The remaining enemy rams into Tup. I jump off the ground, spinning with a leg out. I snap it's neck on contact and put a bolt in his skull to finish it. I help my brother up.

"Stay alive." I say before darting after Rex. He's doing his best to hold off another pair of zombies. "Captain, bend over and straighten up really fast...now!" I say through my comm. He does as instructed, springing back up as me feet land on his shoulders. In a crouch, I'd jumped straight up. Now from my high vantage point, I shoot three zombies before landing. We nod and get back to back.

"Copaani gaan?" I ask.

"Vor'e." He thanks with the slightest hint of relief to have someone watching his back. I can guess how it can be for him during fights. He's the Captain. The big guns who should be able to take care of himself without any help. No one tries watching his back because he isn't supposed to need help. I don't think he has a brother-by-choice.

The thought hones my concentration until I'm killing an alien with every shot. One runs at me with its mouth wide open, gutturally roaring at me. I shove my gun in its mouth and pull the trigger.

Two more are advancing on me as I shoot. Every time I'm about to kill one of them, another comes from my left and draws my required attention. Thankfully, Rex has my back as much as I have his. He twists us around and kills the two I couldn't spare time for.

"I owe you one." I say before hopping on top of a massive, hulking creature. I perch on its shoulders like a bird, promptly shooting its head. Before the zombie topples, I can see Skywalker in even thicker fighting than where we are. I also spot a perfect place for a sniper. I leap next to Rex.

"Who's our best sniper?" I ask.

"Jaigs. There he is!" He points out a trooper who is wrestling with a decomposing female.

"I saw a good position for Jaigs. Permission to show him?"

"Get going." He agrees. I hate the formality, but that's just how it is. I fight my way over to the sniper, flipping over and slipping past the undead warriors to reach him. Another goliath zombie lumbers up, grabbing Jaigs around his neck.

I quickly hamstring the monster and then shoot the back of its head. The remaining zombie lunges at me and we roll over in what I guess could be called a full fledged cat fight. She tries to bite my neck and I shove my arm in the way. I screech as loudly as any of our adversaries. I shove my arm up, exposing her throat. I press my gun under her chin and end it. I push her off and help unclench the giant's hand from around the trooper's neck. He staggers up and coughs, trying to do so and shoot at the same time.

"I've got your back. Two minute recovery." I assure him. He doesn't hesitate to start hacking and rubbing his throat while I keep the zombies off him. They seem to sense that they can make my life harder by attacking both of us at once. I'm doing complete acrobatic combat and shooting in those splintered seconds when I land to jump up again.

"I'm good, kid." The soldier says. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Jaigs, right?" He nods. "The Captain wants you on sniper duty. Follow me." I lead him to a withered, gnarled tree. It's on a hill overlooking the battlefield, giving him a perfect view of the whole scene.

I perch in the lower branches with both guns drawn, balancing on my feet. Two thick branches are supporting my weight. As Jaigs shoots, I wait in case any zombies try attacking him. They do, and I concentrate on killing them off before they can finish us.

§ § §

"Rex, take half the men and check out the other cavern." Skywalker orders. We have fought our way to the underground caves. After going down a steep, sloping hallway, we've come into a massive cave with a roof a hundred meters above us. A gap which two clones could walk through shoulder to shoulder and is three clones high connects this cave to a twin one.

Rex selects me and a group of twenty other troops. We start looking around. Alcoves here and there dot the walls, each with stone counters and a few with sinks. I walk towards one. _Boom_. I look up and dive out of the way of a falling chunk of stone.

§ § §

My arm. Something is wrong with my arm. I can't move it, and it hurts so much. I open my eyes and look at my limb. It's crushed under a very large rock. I tug a little and screech. Owww.

This rock is at least two hundred pounds. There's no way I can move it. My comm was on that arm. Kriff. I notice a trooper next to me. He isn't pinned. I check his pulse. Strong. I manage to get his comm and click it on.

"Come in. Is anyone alive?" I ask over the main channel. Static comes. "I repeat; is anyone alive?" I demand. Crackling, then I hear a voice.

"This is General Skywalker. Can anyone hear me?"

"I read you General." I gasp.

"Twitch, is that you?"

"Yes, sir. My arm is pinned. I haven't hear from anyone else."

"Hang in there." He says. I wait, tears threatening to slip down my cheeks from the pain every now and then. I spend my time trying to wake the trooper.

"Come on, soldier. Don't tell me you're going to be kept down by pebbles." I growl. I finally resort to removing his helmet and slapping his cheek. He shifts, but doesn't wake up. I do it again, harder, and his eyes snap open.

"What happened?"

"Cave in. Is anything broken?" He shakes his head, then catches sight of my crushed arm.

"I'm fine. Uh—"

"General Skywalker said he was coming." The sound of tumbling rock fills the air. "Get to the entrance and bring him back here." He nods and gets up, running past piles of stone. Sweat beads my forehead as I lie still.

I hear a sound and look in the direction the trooper had gone. Anakin and Kix appear. I'm breathing heavily and still choking back tears. The General immediately closes his eyes and lifts his hands. I groan as the rock is lifted off my arm. Kix drags me away from the small boulder and the rock is put down.

In my peripheral vision, I can see the clone who had gotten the General. I keep my voice quiet, but I have to yell as Kix wraps my arm. Once he's done, I try standing up. His hands hover near my shoulders as I sway, but I nod.

"Thanks."

"Have you heard from Rex?" Skywalker asks.

"No."

"We need to spread out and look for survivors." He decides aloud. We all stiffen to attention before drifting apart. I start by following the wall. Near the back, I find a pile of rocks the size of my head. At the base is Rex, the left side of his body buried by stones. I press my fingers against his neck. Good news, he's alive. I shake his arm until he grunts.

"What happened to your arm?" Is the first coherent thing he says.

"Rock. Anything broken?"

"I don't think so." He tries worming out from under the pile. A large stone bounces from the top towards his head. I turn my right palm up and point it forward, keeping my arm next to my side. I catch the rock in the crook of my elbow and roll it to the side. The Captain gets free.

"Survivors?"

"Five so far, including you and me." I think of Splinter, Fives, and Tup. Those three better not be dead. "You should comm the General. He's been looking for you." He nods and presses his comm.

"General Skywalker."

"Who is this? Do you need assistance?"

"No, sir. This is Rex."

"Good to hear from you. Try to find more survivors."

"Yes, sir." We split up. I soon find a trooper whose legs are under a massive boulder. Unfortunately, he's alive and conscious.

"Can you hear me?" I ask.

"Y—yes. Agh, my legs."

"Picnic for the bacta tank. You'll be up and scrapping clankers in no time. I'm going to get General Skywalker and a medic." He nods. I dash off and literally collide with Kix. I curse as my arm sends out a fresh burst of pain in its sling.

"Where's the General?" I ask.

"Here." Anakin hops over a small pile of rocks.

"I found another of our troops. He's pinned." They follow me back to the soldier. Skywalker lifts the boulder while I help Kix get the clone clear. It's a bloody mess below his hips. I look away when I see white that is either bone or broken armour.

Little by little, Kix puts the troop's leg back together in bandages. I don't know how he knows what to put where. I try to look calm for the trooper's sake. His fist is clenching. I offer him my good hand and let out a string of curses in multiple languages under my breath as he crushes my fingers. By the time Kix is done, I've lost all feeling in my hand. The medic and General include me in a short, silent conversation of expressions. I stay put as they leave to look for more survivors. Through laboured breathing, the soldier tries talking.

"Kriffing Separatists. Should've seen this coming."

"Yeah. Of course, if we had let the Seppies find underground caves we abandoned, I'd rig them too."

"True." He grunts.

"Got a name?" I ask.

"Not yet." Now that I think about it, he does look like a shinie. "What about you?" I've got to distract him.

"Twitch."

"Sounds like a clone name." I smile at him, trying to cover my 'oh, crap' emotions.

"I know. It's just a nickname."

"It suits you?"

"I'm probably the jumpiest member of the Legion. It fits."

"Who gave it to you?"

"The Captain. I was fidgeting and he called me 'Twitch'. The name stuck, so I use it." He nods in understanding. I take off his helmet to give him more air. His eyes are sharp with pain and his hair is the standard buzz cut.

"What?" He asks, looking at his helmet.

"I was getting tired of talking to you through a helmet." I can guess he wouldn't like that I'd actually removed his helmet to make it more comfortable.

"Not much to look at." He says.

"I'm not a Jedi, but I know every clone has a different personality from the next. Besides, your helmet doesn't have expressions."

"You are one strange kid."

"I try my best. So what kind of gun do you use? Fifteens, seventeens, what?" His eyes light up a little at the thought of discussing weapons.

"I use a Z-6 rotary blaster cannon." I remember the one Hardcase had used and nod in recognition. Those things are big, tough guns.

"Good choice. No wonder the 501st has the highest droid kills."

"Actually, I'd say we're the best 'cause we're good at dodging rocks." I twist around and scowl at Fives.

"Oh, rub it in, why don't you? And actually, you're better at flying Umbaran star fighters against orders than dodging rocks." Tup pops over the top of a rock pile.

"About those quick exits you mentioned." He growls.

"Yeah, like you two got outside in time." I point out. "Oh, and by the way, score D for paranoia. Next time, listen to me when I say it's a trap." Fives is looking around nervously.

"Yeah, we'll listen." The ARC mutters.

"They said that last time and he almost died." I say to the shinie, flicking my head at Fives. I return my attention back to my friends. "You two alright?"

"Yeah. Rex?" Tup checks.

"He's fine. So is Kix and the General. Splinter?"

"Haven't heard from him."

"Haar'chak." I mutter. "You alright, Fives?"

"Yeah, yeah." He says. I observe his body language and think of his tone.

"You're claustrophobic, aren't you?" I ask.

"What? No! ...Maybe."

"And yet you wear that death trap of a helmet."

"It's not a—why would you even say that?" He asks.

"Remember that training session where you made me wear your helmet?"

"And you ran into a stack of crates?"

"Yeah, that one. Death. Trap." Tup chuckles and I think Fives scowls at him through his helmet. I'm glowering too. He shuts up.

"It's the same as flash training." The ARC says.

"Which I've never had. Don't you have troops to find?"

"Try not to get flattened by the time we get back." Tup calls over his shoulder.

"I'm very curious how those two di'kuts are still alive." I say to the soldier. His grip is still tight around my hand.

"You know an ARC?"

"Yep. The guy has a talent for almost getting himself killed."

"Family trait."

"Apparently."

"What about your family?"

"Aliit ori'shya tal'din. Fives and Tup have practically adopted me by now."

"Clones aren't the best family. We're meant to die... Ouch!" I'd swatted the top of his head.

"A theory I don't give a kriff for." The force behind my voice and the strong language shock him into silence. "You and your brothers are a lot more than flesh-droids, and anybody who can't see that is a di'kutla, besom. A shabuir who's an or'dinii." His lips are slightly parted now. It feels good to be able to project how I feel about those di'kuts in the galaxy who don't treat clones with the respect the soldiers deserve. The shinie finally finds his voice after a minute.

"Uh, thanks, though, 'dangerous' would be a much better nickname for you."

"Only when I'm provoked." He shifts and freezes in place. My hand is squeezed again. His legs have got to be hurting.

"When did you learn Mando'a?" He gasps.

"I started studying it five months ago."

"Somebody should be monitoring you."

"I don't need baby sitting." I scowl.

"I can believe that. So, how does Fives almost get himself killed?"

"Shrapnel, star fighters, commando droid ambushes. I'm sure he had a lot of trouble before he became an ARC, too. I wouldn't know."

"When did you meet?"

"The cruiser I was on got attacked. He had broken ribs from a detonator blast. I helped him to a safe room. We met up on Umbara a day later."

"You were at Umbara?"

"Yeah. Were you there?"

"No. I joined the 501st a week ago."

"Trust me; you're lucky you missed it."

"Kid's right." I twist around. Kix is back.

"Time to go?" I ask. He nods.

"How many survived?" The trooper grunts.

"Twenty three, including us." Forty six men had come down here. Kriff. Another trooper appears, holding a stretcher. They get the injured soldier on and I walk behind them. We lost half our men in two hours.

* * *

_A.N. ~ so, Twitch has once again proven her temper to be short on the matter of clones. _

Twitch:_ my temper is always short. Just more so when anyone insults clones._

Rex *voice sarcastic*:_ my hero._

Twitch:_ try not to swoon._

Rex: _somehow, the greater challenge at the moment is not punching you._

Twitch:_ we both know how that would end._

Rex:_ your court marshal?_

Twitch:_ ooo, big, brave soldier hiding behind his rank. Wanna prove that little station of yours?_

Me:_ girls, girls, you're both pretty. Can I finish my note, now?_

*Both nod*

Me:_ okay, so readers, please review, enjoy, and know that the next chapter will spontaneously appear within 48 hours. _

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS: **

**Vor'e: [VOHR-ay] thank you**

**Aliit Ori'shya Tal'din: [Ah-LEET-or-EESH-yah-tal-DEEN] Family is more than blood**

**Di'kutla: [dee-KOOT-lah] idiotic, stupid, useless, worthless, foolish, etc**

**Besom: [BEE-som] ill-mannered lout, unhygienic person, someone with no manners**

**Shabuir: [SHAH-boo-EER] extreme insult; 'jerk', but much stronger**

**Or'dinii: [Ohr-DEE-nee] moron, fool**


	32. Of Shadows And Lizards

I'm standing next to Fives and Tup. We're at the entrance to the caves, waiting for pickup. I look down and yelp, jumping backwards. A spider the size of my foot is walking along. I stomp on it. My friends look between me and the spider legs sticking out from under my boot. They burst into laugher.

"It's not funny!" They continue, doubling over. "Come on, guys. I—it's justified." They don't let up. "Oh, forget it." I growl, leaving them to cackle. I sit on a rock twenty feet from everyone else. I need a little quiet after everything.

"Something you did has Fives laughing like a maniac." Rex sits down next to me.

"He's being a di'kut." I say in an 'I'm-not-being-playful' tone.

"I've never seen him laugh that hard."

"If I explained, you'd laugh too and I'd have to find a new spot to sulk at."

"I won't laugh. I promise, I won't."

"I killed a spider. I'm an arachnophobe. Happy?" He coughs a few times, probably to hide chuckles.

"How are _you_ afraid of spiders?"

"There are some things I don't like talking about. Can that be respected, please?"

"Okay, okay."

§ § §

Splinter, thankfully, made it. Once the usual double checks after a mission, just to confirm we're all still breathing, are done, I leave to visit the injured trooper. I'm standing next to a bacta tank. The shiny is inside. I'm glad to know he'll have both legs by the time this is over.

I walk out and go to the barracks. My bunk spot has migrated to about the middle of the room. I climb onto the top and lie down. Go to assist a few of our troops on Umbara, go back to Coruscant for a short furlough. Easy. Except that we have to lay eyes on Umbara again.

And now zero chance of sleep is left. I quietly sneak out of the room and slip down to the cargo bay. It's empty. I find a small space and practice back flipping in place. Next, I practice front flips.

Soon, I'm spinning around in mock acrobatic combat, fighting enemies only my imagination can see. As I fight, I murmur the Mandalorian daily remembrance. I'm next to a pyramid of crates, spinning on my side like a horizontal tornado, when:

"Hi, Twitch." The voice comes just as my feet hit the floor. I'm so surprised, I jump straight up and cling to the second highest crates, holding on with my left arm, keeping my right arm in front of my chest. It would be a perfect position if I still had my gauntlets.

Skywalker is standing in the shadows. My surprise-widened eyes return to their usual size. I hop down and salute.

"General Skywalker. You startled me."

"Sorry. Still getting used to fighting without arm-blades?" I sigh in defeat.

"Yes."

"You know some fairly advanced fighting techniques."

"Thank you."

"Not tired?"

"Can't sleep."

"Neither can I. Care to spar?" Now here is the biggest challenge I can hope for. I smile and nod. We take up positions. I don't try to predict how he'll fight, because then I'd be distracting myself. He makes first move.

I dodge the punch, but he kicks at me as I flip. No one, not even Ahsoka, tried landing a blow when I'm in motion. I catch his leg as I land and try to knock his free one out from under him. He pulls his foot from my hands and tries kicking me. As we go back and forth, I get the feeling I'm in over my head.

You know that feeling you get when you're playing a video game, and you run into a boss that's way stronger than you, and the only reason you don't lose right away is because you're faster than it is? That's exactly how I feel right now, except for the 'faster' part, which I'm pretty sure Skywalker matches or exceeds me with.

He's staying a step ahead of me, though sometimes, I'm not sure how large that step is. I duck under a kick, block a punch, block a kick, holding it up with my forearm, and use his leg to stop his free hand from getting me. I roll out of his way and jump up quickly. He's nose-to-nose with me when I stand, so I have to spin away to get room. My foot nearly hits his head, but he stops it.

Fighting a Jedi Knight is probably one of the hardest sparring matches I've ever had. I'm doing another backflip when I can feel something hit my feet. I spin out of control and land on my shoulder. My 'oof!' precedes me rolling on my back, pushing off my hands, then landing on my feet. We resume fighting.

"I can sense something troubling you." He says suddenly. My surprise almost lands me on the floor again before I recover. We continue to fight as we talk.

"It's nothing important. I assure him."

"Enlighten me." He prods.

"Umbara just isn't my favourite planet." I offer.

"I can understand why." He scowls. By now, I know exactly what that look means.

"Sir, I don't have to be a Jedi to know something's bothering you."

"That obvious, huh?"

"I'm familiar with the expression. Enlighten me?" Ordering him is not my place, but asking if he wants to share is fair game.

"I'm..._unhappy_ with how I couldn't sense Krell's darker side."

"Sir, how many Jedi did Krell come into contact with?"

"A lot." He admits.

"They couldn't sense what Krell was, either." I point out.

"You're starting to sound like my old master."

"If I was a Jedi, the universe would end." I catch a punch and twist his arm behind his back. He uses his right arm and upper body to throw me onto the floor. I land on my back. My chest locks and I struggle to breathe. Thankfully, I recover quickly. "I think you win that fight." I grunt as I get up.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine."

"Something else is getting to you." I'm starting to dislike being 'sensed'.

"It's a war, sir. I'd have to be a droid to have nothing to worry about." His expression softens.

"It's okay to be upset."

"I know, but I'm a soldier. I don't have time to be upset."

"You're a thirteen year old girl. You're supposed to get upset."

"My age and gender don't factor into this."

"They do, though, don't they?" I pause and sigh.

"I've lived longer than most of my brothers. And chances are I'll outlive them, too. I just don't want any of them to die because of me."

"What do you mean?"

"I almost got Splinter killed once. A bolt almost went through Rex's heart when we were on the same speeder." I hesitate.

"There was another time, wasn't there?"

"Civilians complicate things. To get Senator Amidala away from the Abyssins, Rex had to run into blaster fire to take her from me. If he'd been shot, I would have had to leave him behind." Bringing up the Senator isn't something I want to do around Skywalker.

"What happened with Splinter?" He crosses his arms.

"Tatooine and Jabba happened. He was captured. I tried getting him out, but we were separated during the fighting. That scar on his cheek; he got it from a rancor in a pit Jabba had thrown him in. I thought he was dead for months."

"Until you saw him on Coruscant."

"Yes."

"You blame yourself."

"I could've saved him before he even got into the palace."

"And?"

"And nothing. He almost died because I didn't want to cause casualties."

"Not killing isn't something to be guilty of." Skywalker shakes his head, hands dropping to his sides.

"Causing your brother to almost die is."

"I can't convince you that it wasn't your fault, but both times with Rex weren't. How many clones can block a laser bolt?"

"None that I know of."

"It takes a Jedi fast reflexes to stop them. You aren't a Jedi. And from what you told me, you couldn't help that the Abyssins attacked you." I nod. He's right that I couldn't have predicted the Abyssins, and I guess I couldn't have blocked that laser bolt from my position. I let it go and nod again. "What was that you were muttering earlier? Before I scared you onto those crates." My face warms up a little at the mention of my overreaction.

"Mandalorian daily remembrance for the dead." He gives me an 'oops' look.

"Most teenagers don't do that." He comments.

"Most teenagers can't remember where they left the keys for their speeders."

"True. You should sleep. Umbara's going to take some energy."

"Return of the Shadow People. Oh, great."

§ § §

"Rex, watch out!" I yell. We're tumbling down a steep hill, and the Captain is heading straight for a vixus. I spot a rock jutting out and get my feet in front of me. I angle myself slightly sideways and push off the stone. I body check my friend out of the way.

Now that I'm the one heading for the killer plant, I'm wondering why I didn't tackle him, sending us both out of the way. I form a plan and get ready. As soon as my feet hit the creature's dome-like mouth, I stop and try jumping over it. Just as I'm confident I'll make it, a tentacle wraps around my ankle.

It lifts me above its opening maw. I grab my guns and shoot at the gap. It screeches and flails me around. I lose hold of my guns and they go flying. I stiffen my back as much as I can.

_Please don't break, please don't break._

"Somebody kill this thing already!" I shout. I'm near the base of the ridge. To my horror, Fives charges straight at a tentacle and lets it snatch him up. For a moment, I'm sure he's gone off the deep end. Until I see the grenade in his hand. He tosses it into the vixus' mouth. After a couple more seconds of flailing, light burns in the gap and we're tossed in two different directions.

I can't control my flight and land on the back of my neck/upper back. That hurts enough alone, but on top of that, my knee has to smack against a rock. I lie still and mentally check all of my limbs. "Kriffing wildlife." I mutter once I'm sure nothing is in the wrong number of pieces.

I start sitting up, wincing from my aching neck and leg. Rex appears next to me and offers a hand. Once I'm standing, I search for and retrieve my guns. Fives is alright too, by the looks of it. Rex takes point with Skywalker.

The peaceful Umbarans who had accepted the Republic's presence had pointed us this way to find the rebels. As we make a beeline for a thicket that could be a base of operations, memories begin to replay in my mind. Splinter joins me on the flank.

"You are one crazy little di'kut, you know." He says.

"I thought that was common knowledge."

"You could've been eaten."

"Yeah, but the same goes for Rex."

"Rex can take care of himself."

"And I can't?"

"Fives had to do a near kamikaze to get you out of there."

"I know, and I don't like that he used that method to get the grenade in that thing, but even if it got me in its mouth, I know how to kill them from the inside. Rex, I'm pretty sure, has never seen the inside of a vixus like that."

"I'm almost scared to ask."

"One grabbed me, stuffed me it it's mouth, I killed it. There...really wasn't much of a story there." I look at our surroundings. Misty, dark, and...something is moving in the underbrush. "Did you see that?" I ask, nodding to the last placed seen movement. He watches. I catch a glimpse of an Umbaran.

"Ambush!" Splinter and I both yell. The shooting starts instantly. I shove the scarred soldier sideways and lean back to avoid the bolt myself. I send several insults in Umbarese at the rebels.

We've dispersed to take cover, me stopping behind a gnarled tree. A couple grenade blasts go off.

"I think Twitch made them angry." Fives shouts. I twist out and kneel, shooting with both hands.

"Judging on what I said to them, it's almost a sure bet." I call back to him.

"Such a good thing you aren't a diplomat." He says.

"I'd start another galaxy-wide war." I joke, weaving my head to the right, dodging a laser bolt, then straighten it as I shoot. I see an Umbaran in a tree holding a rocket launcher and size up what I'd have to go through to reach him.

"Hukaat'kama?" I ask the ARC.

"Elek." With my friend's agreement strengthening my resolve, I make a dash for the tree. I start climbing the trunk as quickly as possible. Like last time, I kill the soldier and steal his launcher. As I shoot, Fives and I banter on a private channel. "You've done this before, haven't you?"

"Uh-huh. If you can't beat 'em, steal their rocket launchers and _then_ beat them."

"You are insane."

"I thought that was already established."

"Someone's climbing your tree." He warns. I look down and see an Umbaran. I aim my gun at his head and shoot. He swings out of the way with dizzying speed. He lands next to me and we fight in close quarters, teetering on the edge. I shoot the guy in his chest, but as he falls, he kicks my head. I lose my balance.

_What was it Fives said about falling? Oh, yeah. Relax my body._

I try my best to loosen every muscle, every tendon. I'm almost done when I hit the ground. Someone grabs my arm. I twist and point my gun at...Fives.

"I tried relaxing, but it's kinda hard." I grunt. He helps me up and we resume fighting. I notice the rocket launcher is next to me. I pick it up and snicker. Unfortunately, it's out. I drop it and take cover.

"So you _do_ listen to me when we aren't in hand-to-hand."

"Mmm...maybe." I say in an _I'm deciding_ tone.

"How're you holding up?" He asks.

"Maybe you should ask them. _They're_ the ones getting their shebs handed to them."

"You know what I meant."

"I'm alright. What about you?"

"Fine. Hardcase would be loving this."

"We'll just have to enjoy it for him."

"You seem to be doing a good job of it."

"I _am_ me. You know I enjoy fighting."

"A little too much, sometimes." The Umbarans start trying unarmed combat with us, which is their big mistake. One lumbers at me and I wrench his arm behind his back.

"You guys _could_ surrender, you know." He tries to flip my on my back, but I twist and land on my feet. I knee the glass around his head and shatter it. He collapses. I can tell the fighting is almost over, so I stun blast him instead of killing the rebel. One wraps his arms around me from behind. I drop and pivot, stunning him as well. Fives is holding off two. I sneak up and take one down. He disables the last one.

"That puts me at thirteen Umbaran takedowns, not including how ever many I hit with the rocket launcher." I say.

"Duck." He points his gun at my head and I crouch. A rebel topples down behind me.

"Quack?" I tease.

"Shoulda named you 'Cheeky'."

"Aw, but then—watch out!" Another rebel takes a swing at him. I blast the enemy. Soon, all the Umbaran rebels are either incapacitated or dead.

§ § §

CAPTAIN KEELI'S P.O.V.

_My men and General are dead. I'd only survived Ryloth because—_

"Captain, the ship is prepped. We're ready depart for Coruscant now." The shiny pilot snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Let's get going." I mutter. As we board the small transport ship, I think of the battle, replaying it in my mind over and over again. Was there anything I could have done to save them? Probably not. I only have one hint how I went down from a thermal detonator blast and woke up alive with broken ribs and only a klick from other Republic forces.

Some time in between, my eyes had opened. Just long enough to catch a glimpse of golden eyes and black hair before I went under again. Whoever had saved me must have been strong to drag a ninety kilo man that far, not to mention with droids to deal with. I can feel the ship take off.

Once I'm back on Coruscant, the 501st and 212th Legions will supply me with new men, and I'll be assigned to a new Jedi General. It's ironic, how both elite legions had been on Ryloth when my squad went down.

General Kenobi had grilled me, taken me on the Negotiator for medical treatment, and assigned me to this kriffing outpost until High Command found time to get me new men to replace the ones is lost. I can only hope I won't lose everyone a second time. If I do, I'd better go down with them.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

Ah, Coruscant. I wonder what'll go wrong this time. I'm hoping for something to go wrong. A four day shore leave is still shore leave. Rex leaves with Skywalker. One will go to the Jedi Council, one to High Command. I range around the city, looking for something to do.

I hear loud noises a couple miles from the docks. When I go to investigate, I see that it's some kind of parade. The Chancellor himself is in the middle of the airway, waving and smiling. People are cheering, confetti is flying through the air, and I have zero idea what's got everyone so excited. I tap a man on his shoulder and he turns to look at me.

"Excuse me, but do you know what's going on?" I shout over the noise.

"Where've you been? How can you _not_ have heard?"

"I was off world. Please, could you fill me in?"

"It's Palpatine's twelfth anniversary as Chancellor. He's giving a speech at the end of the parade."

"Thank you." I walk behind the groups of people. Call it paranoia, but Chancellor, plus crowds, plus public, equals possible trouble. There are a lot of bounty hunters hiding on Coruscant. I can only imagine how much money Dooku would pay if one managed to catch or kill his enemy. Besides, this is the most excitement I'm likely to get on furlough.

It's a long, long, loooooong way to the end of this funeral-paced parade, but I'm still on the lookout when Palpatine finally steps off his ride and climbs up the white steps of a marble platform carefully to a podium.

Commander Fox's men stand behind him, weapons resting in their arms as they watch for trouble.

_Only four men? That's an awfully big risk, even on Coruscant._

I stay as close as I can be, watching rooftops and windows and pretty much anywhere a threat could be. Unfortunately, I don't count on the threat hiding in plain sight.

Roughly six Trandoshans suddenly charge from the crowd toward the podium, drawing guns. I take off immediately. No way those guards can take them all on their own.

As they fight, I slip behind the largest reptile and stun blast him. I duck one's claws and shoot him, too. Only one guard is still standing, fighting a green scaled 'Doshan. The second last one gives me her full attention, shooting, clawing, and biting at me. I have to continue with flips and spins to not get killed.

"Chancellor, run!" I order. He starts stumbling away, but the last guard goes down and he's grabbed.

"Unhand me this instant!" He orders.

_Yeah, like _that's_ going to work._

I jump back and stun my attacker. The last Trandoshan points his gun at the Chancellor's head and I freeze.

"Now, stand down, kid. Before someone gets hurt. A stun blast at this range would fry his brain." I lower my arm, subtly switching the setting from stun to kill. I drop my left gun, but just as the reptile relaxes a little, I raise my arm and shoot with lightning speed.

There are cries and screams of surprise as the dead assaulter falls to the ground. I grab the left one, switch the safety on, and holster my guns before hurrying to Palpatine.

"Sir, are you alright?" I ask urgently.

"Y—yes, I believe I am. I'm lucky you came when you did. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm sorry your day had to go like this."

"I'm sorry, too. Are the troops alright?" I check pulses.

"Unconscious, maybe a few breaks or concussions, but they should live." The Chancellor puts a hand on his chest and sighs with relief.

"I'm glad they're alright. Commander Fox will be here soon." I nod and take the binders from the unconscious troops, tying the Trandoshans' hands behind their backs. The guards start shifting and getting up, most groaning and putting a hand on their heads.

One stands and collapses, clutching his leg. Another has a cut bleeding profusely on his arm. I tear a strip off one of the 'Doshan's shirts and wrap it around the wound. The remaining two just seem to have nasty headaches. Palpatine walks to the mic and speaks.

"I'm afraid today's festivities will have to be put on hold. However, I would like to thank the brave soldiers who protected me from these treasonous men, and all the troops who fight for our freedom and safety every day." The crowd cheers loudly, clapping and whistling.

I see a large Trandoshan slipping into an alleyway and inch a little closer to the Chancellor.

* * *

_A.N. ~ thank you to KesseGirl1 for correcting me on the number of years Palpatine had been chancellor._

_I am aware that the 501st and 212th weren't actually on Ryloth when Keeli was, but I have a habit of twisting things in the Star Wars univers. Oopsie._

___Please review, negative and positive. _

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS:**

**Huukat'kama: [hu-KAHT-ka-MAH] Watch my six (watch my back)**


	33. Bad News, New Home

I'm at 79's. It's good to be around only clones. I'm drinking a glass of water and just relaxing. Yes, I _am_ physically capable of the action. Not mentally, though. I'm replaying helpful fighting moves I've used before in my head.

When I hooked that Abyssian with my leg, jumped up and hit him with my other knee in the head, now that was a good one. Maybe when I flipped Splinter on his back during sparring, or when I sent Rex flying. That worked out. I see Rex walk in and I raise my hand in greeting. He joins me at the counter.

"I hear you had a little action earlier." He greets.

"Some, though there weren't nearly enough bolts flying at me."

"How about claws? Do those count?"

"I guess. How was High Command?"

"Fine." He says evasively. That's how I know something is wrong. He never enjoys being grilled by the superiors. His answer is always _boring_, or _they ask the the most di'kutla questions._ It's never _fine_.

"What happened?" He lets out an unsure sound while rubbing the back of his head. This can't be good.

"Captain Keeli is on Coruscant and needs new men. His Legion was slaughtered. No one knows exactly how he survived. Even he doesn't know. He was knocked out by a thermal detonator and woke up near a Republic camp." Recognition bells ring in my head.

"Alright, what's so terrible about him getting a new squad?"

"The 501st and 212th have to supply the troops for him."

"So, we're going to transfer a few of our men. I get the feeling you haven't told me the worst part."

"I haven't. You've been transferred." I choke on the water I am drinking and cough a few times.

"Wh—what? Rex, tell me you're playing some sick prank."

"I wish I was. I don't like it either." I groan.

"Kriff. When and where do I meet my new Captain?" The words sting leaving my mouth.

"End of shore leave. Eastern docks. You're now on the Hunter. Your new Jedi General is a green Twi'lek named Klairen Ghynna." I groan again.

"Do the others know?"

"Not yet. I'm telling them tonight."

"You guys better not get killed while I'm out of the Legion."

"We'll try our best."

"Keep an eye on Fives, Tup and Splinter for me? Those three have a talent for getting in scrapes."

"We all do." I think of the rookie's words back on Krovell.

"It's a family trait."

"You got that right." Oh, Kriff, I'm going to miss them. No more bantering while we fight or lighthearted chats in the Mess Hall. Why the haran would High Command reassign me?

§ § §

It's the last day of shore leave. We're saying our final goodbyes before heading to our respective cruisers.

"Don't get killed." I say.

"Same goes for you." Fives replies.

"Aw, kriff. What's High Command thinking?" Tup growls.

"Wish I knew." Splinter agrees.

"One thing before you go." Rex says. They lead me inside the barracks to my old bunk. My mouth opens and my eyes widen in shock. On my bed are two long, perfectly white, twin gauntlets. I grin and turn to look at my friends, all who are smiling ear to ear as well.

"A goodbye present from General Skywalker and the 501st." Rex says.

"You guys are amazing." I say, still smiling.

"We know." Tup answers. We chuckle.

"Well, put them on." Fives prods. I clip on the weapons. They fit perfectly, and I note that they can be widened. My brothers have thought ahead right up to when I get bigger. They even installed a comm in the left one's wrist. This could not have been cheap, but because my brothers gave me them, they're priceless. We nod and walk outside.

"Just for old times sake." Tup says, nodding at my new gauntlets. I activate them and watch with delight as white blades snap out quickly and smoothly. I rub the edges with my thumbs. Sharp as ever.

"Thanks. I'll let the next clankers I see know you guys said 'hi'." Small smiles. Rex takes it on himself to be the bad guy.

"We better hurry. Not good to be late." I nod in agreement. We walk in two opposite directions. I twist and wave. Splinter had been watching and waves back. I set my shoulders and start jogging towards the Eastern Docks.

§ § §

I stand at attention in a row of white armoured men. Most have blue or yellow highlights. Captain Keeli is pacing past us, examining each of us critically. I'm near the end, waiting for the inevitable '_you're_ a soldier?' conversation. He walks up, looks me over, then moves on, looking at the last three men.

I can't believe he didn't say anything. As we turn and start walking towards the Hunter's open hanger door, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I step neatly sideways, excluding myself from the line. I turn and salute to the Captain.

"Yes, sir?" I ask respectfully.

"You're a little young to be in the war."

"I know, sir." He continues to study me, looking at my face mostly. He seems to be directing his attention to my eyes and...hair? Golden eyes aren't exactly common, but black hair is something he must be used to by now. But, when we lock eyes, I get the strange feeling that he isn't so much looking into them as much as _at_ them.

"I understand you've been fighting for a while." He gestures and we start walking towards the hanger.

"I'd been with the 501st for five months."

"What about before that?"

"I wasn't exactly...with the Republic before I joined the 501st. I still fought against the Separatists, but then I was more of a rogue."

"How long was that going on for?"

"I'd left roughly three years ago, when I was ten."

"Ever been to Ryloth during those three years?" Yikes, he's getting very close to home.

"Twice."

"When?"

"The first time was shortly after I left, about two months to be exact. The second was more recent. Five months ago, the week I rejoined the Republic."

"How did that happen?" We're halfway up the ramp.

"I was shot after I attacked a group of B1's. General Skywalker brought me on the Resolute for medical treatment."

"You don't wear much armour."

"It slows me down during fights. I rely on speed a lot."

"Why's that?" I unsheathe my new blades, almost smiling at the gift. After he's looked them over, I slide them back in. We walk through the hanger. I see a more-green-than-blue female Twi'lek walking towards us. One look at her hip and I confirm that she's Klairen Ghynna. We stop and salute, standing at attention by default. She nods to the Captain, then scowls at me.

"Who are you?" She asks, not unkindly, but I wouldn't call it a gentle tone.

"Twitch, ma'am."

"What?" She looks confused.

"My name. It's Twitch. I'm one of the transfers from the 501st."

"You are dismissed, Captain. Tell the troops that we're going to Saleucami to dig out a Separatist outpost." He salutes.

"Right away, ma'am." He leaves immediately. I watch him from the corner of my eye, screaming _don't_ _leave me with her! _in my head.

"What is your real name?" She demands.

"Twitch _is_ my name, ma'am."

"So, your parents actually named you 'Twitch'?" She asks, crossing her arms.

"I don't have parents."

"Any family?"

"Yes." She tilts her head slightly.

"You are too young to be a soldier."

"Many people say that, ma'am, but I'm not too young to fight." I put as much determination in my voice and emotions as possible.

"Then what qualifies you? What makes you so capable?" I tap a gauntlet.

"These can deflect laser bolts. They have blades that can slice a droid open. I have a year of practice with these behind me, and I have three years' experience with fighting Separatists."

"I have my doubts about you, but I won't judge until after we capture that outpost. Dismissed."

"Yes, ma'am."

§ § §

Going into the Mess Hall has never been so awkward. Almost everyone is giving me looks. The 501st's presence is sorely missed. I get my food and sit down alone in the back. The small percentage of troops who haven't given me a second glance are all marked with blue. A few of them are probably used to seeing me in the Mess.

_I'd say we're the best 'cause we're good at dodging rocks,_ echoes in my head.

Oh, man I miss Fives right now. I guess I'm not one of the best anymore. I chew my food contemplatively and try continuing my list of good battle techniques I'd started before Rex had given me the bad news.

_There was that time when...when...um... Haar'chak, I can't concentrate. Come on, Twitch! Moping about it isn't going to do you or anyone else any good._

I resign myself to making attempts at keeping my mind blank as I eat.

§ § §

FIVES'S P.O.V.

"The Mess sure is quiet." Splinter mumbles. I don't know what his connection is to Twitch, but he's been hanging around us. I'm fine with it.

"Yeah." I agree. Of all the soldiers in the Legion, High Command had to transfer Twitch.

"Everyone seems perfectly miserable." Tup mutters from across the table.

"Hey, Tup?" I say.

"What?" He growls.

"Toughen up. She'd probably smack us all upside our heads if she saw us." They nod in agreement. I wonder how she's holding up. Gotta be hard going into a Mess where no one knows you. Especially when you're a thirteen year old girl.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

My hard-earned bunk in the middle of the room isn't mine anymore. I've been pushed to the back...again. I deposit my holsters and guns in a small cubby that has no purpose but to hold our weapons until they are needed. Of course, I don't put my gauntlets in it.

Keeli raises an eyebrow at me as I climb into bed with my weapons still attached. I shrug in reply and wrap the blanket around me. One of the 212th soldiers is sleeping below me.

"Night, kid. Need someone to read you a bedtime story?" He taunts.

"Well, if you wanted one, you could've just asked." I shoot back. There are a few snickers. The last trooper up clicks off the lights. A scuffling of sheets signifies him getting into his bunk. The hard mattress and my stress through the day make sleeping a challenge.

§ § §

I can hear two of the men whispering in the dark.

"You've got the tape?"

"Oh, yeah. Let's do this." I feel something gently press over my chest. I lower my tone and perfectly mimic a regular clone's voice.

"Guess what." I whisper, sounding for all the work like one of the other troops.

"What?" They whisper at the same time. My voice returns to normal.

"I'm awake. And if you two are still on my bunk in the next five seconds, I'll make Umbara sound like shore leave." I hear scuffling and sheets being moved. If you could call the 501st home, then I'm homesick. Which is a pretty new feeling for me. I mean, I never would have had to worry about how light I had to sleep in the bunks back on the Resolute. Rex and Fives would have everyone's shebs if we pulled pranks in the night.

§ § §

Snick. Early in the morning, everyone is awake and I have cut the one piece of tape with a quick swipe of my arm. I ball it up crossly and hop down. I can guess who one of the pranksters were, but the second one, I can't be sure of.

Keeli looks up at me quickly as I march past, then looks down in the same movement. I send the wad down the trash chute and return to the bunks. We start clipping on our weapons, they start with their armour. After a glum furlough with waaaayyyyyy too much time to think of stuff I'd rather forget, I'm ready to have a few clankers to scrap.

I'm especially keen to test out my new arm-blades. I clip on my belt and fail to suppress a smirk. I double check my guns' power cells and, out of habit and no logical reasoning, my blades' sharpness. They haven't been used and were perfectly honed earlier. Old habits die hard.

We go to the Mess and get our food. The former 212th most-likely-midnight-prankster shoves himself between me and the trooper waiting next in line. I get the feeling it'll be one of _those_ days. Until the fighting starts. I'm pretty sure none of us are going to bring our issues onto the battlefield.

Another yellow highlighted soldier budges me. I scowl, but don't protest. Making a big deal out of something this small is pointless. Plus, they'll only delay my breakfast for a few seconds. All the more time for me to prep my taste buds. Klairen walks in and we snap to attention.

"At ease." She says. I step back to give her a space in front of me. She shakes her head and remains at the end of the line. I eat quickly, alone at an empty table as I expected and planned. Keeli and General Ghynna sit at a different table, most likely discussing the plan.

§ § §

We're attacking in groups. Six troops at each exit. The General and the bulk of our forces are attacking the front. The Captain and a slightly smaller group are taking the back door. I have to wonder wether it's coincidence or on purpose that each group has an even number of ex-501st and 212th men.

In my group, three of us are slightly apart from the other half. That friendly elite-legions-competitiveness has evolved into boundaries between us. I look at our two separate groups and sigh, rolling my eyes.

"Like it or not, we're all on the same legion now. Act like it." I return my attention to the exit. Soon, B1's are dashing out. We start shooting at once.

"They've got two commandos." Someone points out. We're hiding in the underbrush at the tree line. I spot the deadly droids.

"Cover me."

"What are you doing?" One of them asks, panic almost edging his voice. I smile at him reassuringly.

"Sparring." I holster my guns, unsheathe my arm-blades, and jump out. The commandos take out vibroswords. We engage in a series of acrobatic combat techniques, darting in to go at each other every now and then. Not event the droids risk shooting at us.

Unfortunately for them, while they're busy trying to get a good angle for shooting me, the rest of my group takes them down. A searing pain flashes through my shoulder. Point one for them. I manage to maneuver one into cutting the other in half. We flip several feet away. The halved droid starts struggling to reach me.

"I'm a little busy. Somebody please shoot it." I growl. I asked and received. The commando sees that it's in trouble and tries running. I'm not sure how many bolts hit it, or whose ended the droid, but it goes down fast. Bew! More shooting from B1s that have come through the door.

I grin at the prospect of dicing a few di'kuts and start right away, jumping on top of one and shooting from my vantage point before leaping to the next one. I start cutting off their heads as I do so. The last one stops and looks at all his dead squad mates.

"Oh, no." It says.

"Got that right." I say an instant before it's shot down. I rejoin the other troops.

"Wow. Leave a few for us next time." A former 501st laughs. I look at the door as it opens. Another commando.

"Okay. Have fun." I murmur.

"All troops, move in on the main building now." The General orders over the comms. I look at them with amusement.

"Okay. Time saver. Go." One concedes. I get up and walk up to the commando. It tries shooting me, but I block the shots. I idly look over my blades to be sure they aren't damaged.

"I'm on a tight schedule. Can we make this snappy?" I say. It wastes no time trying to cut me in half. I jump up and dis-arm it. One arm left and no sword, the commando does what any self respecting droid would do. It raises it's metal hand in surrender. Before it can process, I draw my gun and blast a hole in its head. "I'm not taking prisoners." I mutter as the others walk over.

"I am _never_ sparring with you." An ex-212th says. We go in carefully, checking each corner before turning into a hallway. We turn another one and almost start a friendly fire match with Keeli's group.

We relax and resume our convergence on the communications room. We walk into a fight between a lot of commando droids and General Ghynna's attack squad inside the heart of the outpost. We immediately take action. I run next to a soldier shooting at a commando poised to jump.

Just as the droid leaps, I grab the trooper's shoulders and switch spots with him, blocking the vibrosword as soon as I'm turned around. We spin and flip around until I cut off its head. Klairen is cutting down every droid in her path. Soon, we've won. I sheathe my blades and look around the room. A pair of medics are working on the wounded.

"Captain, take some men and kill off any surviving droids." The General orders.

"Yes, ma'am." He takes a group of uninjured troops and leaves the room. Most of us sit down and rest. Klairen wastes no time on assaulting the computer system. A couple clones start helping her from different stations.

§ § §

"Requesting reinforcements! Commandos in hangar 2-4." I listen to a clone's voice through General Ghynna's comm. She looks at a map swiftly.

"I know the way there." I offer quickly. She points to three of our men, one a medic. I lead them at a sprint through hallways, into the night air, and across an open stretch of the compound, right into the firefight.

I charge a commando, blades out. Two other droids take notice and the three of them gang up on me. _Kriff, kriff, kriff!,_ replays in my head as I desperately try to stay out of reach of their vibroswords. I lead them past the Captain. He twists and starts shooting at the occupied commandos.

He gets one, the the second turns on him. I dispatch of the third. Droid number two jumps at Keeli. I tackle it and smash its head into the floor, crushing the metal. It lays there, right arm jerking from a malfunction. A shot from both of us finishes it.

Klairen is holding off four of her own. I jump in and draw one's attention. These droids have their priorities straight, I'll give them that. It nicks my side. I growl a curse and duck under the blade, snapping the neck out of place and shooting it for good measure. I'm breathing heavily from the exertion. The General finishes off her three commandos. I sit down next to the Captain, wrists on bent knees.

"That'll show 'em." I grunt. The surviving troops sit next to us, followed by the Jedi.

"Well, you've convinced me that you're capable." Ghynna says with a nod of approval. Those words make my day.

"How did you know where the hangar was?" One of the troops that the Jedi had selected asks.

"Most Separatist outposts have the same make. You see one, you've seen them all." I reply. Keeli tilts his head at me, but doesn't comment.

* * *

_A.N. ~ she gets back her weapons, she loses her legion. It's such a good thing my characters can't appear in real life, because Twitch would probably strangle me. _

Twitch:_ who says I won't right now?_

Keeli:_ me. She's a civvy, Twitch. Unless she stands a chance against you, leave it._

Me:_ maybe I would in my fantasies, but those are usually far fetched. Readers, please review. The next chapter will be up within 48 hours._


	34. My Brothers' Acceptance

Over the past month, we've remained at the outpost, using it for ourselves. Ghynna had to leave for some Jedi thing weeks ago.

Ticks, as I've learned is the loud-mouthed ex-212th clone, has been doing pretty much everything he can to give me a hard time. Night-time tape snares, budges in the meal lines, jeers, taunts, you name it. I've quietly put up with it, sometimes shooting back a sharp remark or embarrassing joke at his expense. Nothing he hasn't done to me. I'm in the Mess, getting my meal. Ticks and his small group of followers come in just as I fill my tray. One of them takes it.

"Thanks." He snarks. I get another tray and it is also taken away. A third time, then the fourth. No one is left on my fifth attempt. I sit down, alone as usual. Once I finish, I head for the door. Ticks and his friends block my way out.

"Y'know, this is a military outpost, not a daycare centre." He says.

"I know. It's a wonder you're still here." I shoot back. Most everyone has repainted their armour to suit the squad's colour, but it's still easy to tell who came from where.

"Why don't you lay off, Ticks? She's a lot tougher than you'll admit." One of the former 501st members speaks up. I twist around to look at him, surprised that he's saying anything. I'm usually defending myself against the bullies alone.

"Is she now?" Ticks asks, smiling in a mocking, _I dare you to prove it _way.

"She is. Back on Umbara, risked getting diced by Krell when we tried taking him in. Probably saved a lot of our lives." Another of the ex-501st's pipes up. Ticks doesn't look convinced.

"Yeah. When Krell set us up to shoot each other, she ran straight into the crossfire to get us to stop. Saved a lot of lives." To my surprise, a 212th transfer is the one to chip in. Soon both groups start taking turns in rapid fire.

"Umbara—climbed up tank to try taking it down."

"Christophsis—always took up the rear in bad situations so we'd be safer when we had to fall back." 212th.

"On the Resolute—took on a Sith in a dual to protect the troops and her acting-commander." 501st.

"Our first attempt at Krovell—saved my life by grabbing an active detonator and throwing it back at the droids." 501st. I have no memory of that, but hey, he says I did it, I have no problem with it.

"Christophsis—her gunship crashed on the way down. After a droid ambush on their way to our headquarters, she and Commander Cody were the only survivors." I'm surprised that one of Ticks' gang is the one to say it.

"Umbara—even with a leg injury from her fight with Krell, she still checked vitals on the ground and in the tower before attending to her own medical needs." 501st.

"Christophsis—helped Captain Rex and Commander Cody catch a traitor." 212th.

"Second time we were on Umbara—she and Rex were falling down a ridge. She shoved the Captain out of the way of a vixus, which put her in its path." 501st.

"Five months ago, Ryloth—singlehandedly took out a group of B1's we were fighting." 212th.

"First time we were on Saleucami—missed out on the fight she'd been looking forward to to stay with Captain Rex when he was injured." 501st.

"On Krovell during a cave in—my legs were crushed under a boulder and she let me squeeze her hand to pieces." I look at the speaker with surprise and a hint of delight. Someone I at least somewhat know. Several more clones go until the only one in the Mess Hall who hasn't added something is Ticks.

I'm pleasantly surprised that they've done this, and hearing them list off things I did doesn't hurt. They all look at the bully expectantly. He looks like he's thinking really fast, groping for a time when I've done something to impress him.

"Wait, you're a rookie, aren't you?" A former 501st soldier asks.

"Uh..." Ticks struggles.

"He is, too." I watch as they start verbally ganging up on the shinie. He looks around helplessly as his brothers taunt him.

_Aw, kriff. I'll never understand myself..._

"That's enough." I snap. All voices cease. They look at me in surprise. "We've all been di'kutla shinies at point or another. I think he's gotten the message." Even Ticks looks shocked. He finds his voice and looks me in the eye.

"A month after we took the Separatist outpost on Saleucami—stood up for me even after I made her life haran." I don't think there is one face in the room left without at least a ghost of a smile. Ticks gang parts so I can go through the door. I give everyone my 'thank you' smile before walking out. Just as I turn the corner out of their sight, a hand catches my shoulder.

"Ryloth—saved my life when I was knocked out by a thermal detonator." The Captain whispers before letting me go.

§ § §

The transfers from both legions have begun to mingle a little. I'm still a bit shaken that Keeli remembers me from that incident. Getting his shebs out of there had been a royal pain. I've taken to sitting with the shiny whose legs had been crushed.

"Found a name yet?" I ask.

"No. Working on it." He replies. We turn into the Mess Hall. I can barely tell who's from where anymore. Get our food, sit down. I wonder if Cut and Suu are anywhere nearby. Hopefully not. The last thing I want is to see the deserter found out. Unfortunately, the thought of Lawquane makes me think of Rex and that leads to the others.

By now Tup would've told me to toughen up. Or Fives. I actually miss training with the ARC. Heck, I'd take a math class if it meant being on the Resolute again.

"Miss it?" The shiny startles me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I ask, still disoriented from switching between reality and memory.

"The 501st. Miss it?" I nod absently.

"You?"

"Yeah."

"Well, we're going to have to k'atini. This is our legion now, like it or not." The conviction in my voice is weak.

"I know." He agrees halfheartedly.

"Hey, guess what." I grunt.

"What?" He mumbles.

"Toughen up." He looks at me in surprise and irritation. "Sorry. Joke we used to say whenever something had us down."

"Oh. Am I the only one who wants to scrap a few clankers?"

"No. I'm going to explode if I don't see a little action." I eat my food slowly.

"Sparring later?" He offers. I grin.

"You're on."

§ § §

"Uff!" He grunts. I hop up and offer him a hand.

"Sorry. I get carried away sometimes."

"I'm lucky you're not fighting to kill. You'd win pretty fast." Shiny mutters.

"Thank you." His cheeks are tinged pink

"You're not going to mention this to anyone else though, right?"

"Don't feel bad. Three guesses what happened when I did this with Fives and Rex."

"Like I need that many. But still..."

"Your secret dies with me."

"Ugh." We take up new positions. My gauntlets are off to the side so I don't hurt him, though I only did so since I have sleeves covering my arms. I've been in full acrobatic mode for twenty minutes, burning my pent up energy. We're behind one of the hangars.

"Twitch, rookie, where the kriff are you two?" Someone snaps over our comms. His voice surprises me to the point where I land in my shoulder.

"Ow." I mutter before replying. "Sparring. Where do you need us?"

"Get your weapons and get to the front entrance. We're mapping out the terrain."

"Coming." The shiny answers. I grab my gauntlets and clip them on as we hurry to the bunks. I hook on my holsters, check my guns' power cells, and hurry out with the shiny, who's settled with a DC-15 instead of his bigger gun. Captain Keeli is waiting outside. We salute and stand at attention.

"Relax. Let's get moving." He says.

_Mapping, huh? Why'd he bring _me_ for mapping? Their helmets do that part, but I don't wear a helmet._

"Brought you along in case we met a wild animal, kid." He says, seeming to read my mind. Chance of fighting. Nice. We jog around, reaching almost twenty klicks. We're walking through a small gorge with bushes lining a dusty clearing. I'm the first to notice something is off; no animals.

"Wait." I say. They turn as I look around, breathing deeply through my nose. I listen carefully. A hissing inhale, then purring exhale is coming from the bushes behind us. Two more ahead and to the left. I unsheathe my arm-blades and draw my guns, pointing at both spots.

Three Trandoshans jump out, guns drawn. One behind and two in front. I should've recognized that smell! They surround us in a triangle. No way we can win against them.

"Sir?" I ask nervously. I could probably make it, but the others are too slow and vulnerable. He sighs.

"Stand down." Kriff, I hate surrender. Retreat and surrender are two prospects that clones despise lividly. I put down my guns as they do.

"Cutters off, kid." One hisses. I glare, taking off my weapons without moving my eyes from him. We raise our hands. The one behind us walks up to the shiny and hits his head with the butt of his gun. He collapses.

"Jetar madle!" I spit at the reptile. I can guess his helmet's translator kicked in, because Keeli looks at me sharply. I'm knocked over next.

_Agh, that REALLY hurt!_

The Captain falls down across from me. His helmet has fallen off. We lock eyes for a moment before I black out.

§ § §

I wake up in a cell, shackled to the bars. I pull against the chains in a futile attempt to get free. The others are awake, though everyone looks pretty blurry. I wonder where their helmets are.

"I officially hate the entire Trandoshan race." I mutter.

"Not your first run in with them?" Keeli asks.

"No. So, want me to escape now or later?" I reply. They give me _are you freaking kidding me?!_ looks and I shrug. I hear a noise and look down the dark hallway. A pink Trandoshan marches up and into our cell. She clips on cuffs around our wrists, then unlocks our shackles. A strong magnet pulls my hands together. She waves a trigger in front of us.

"Try anything, and you're all blown to bits." We're shoved in front of her and marched through hallways to a small room with a large male holding a gun. On a table are our weapons. I look at my gauntlets longingly.

The female holsters our guns and clips on my gauntlets as I talk her through it. Keeli and the shiny's helmets are placed on their heads. Another door opens and we walk through into a huge dusty arena. A lot of other disgruntled prisoners are looking around. Our cuffs separate and I can move my arms again.

"Welcome to the arena, where you will fight each other to the death. If you were brought here alone, you must be the sole survivor to win. If you came in a group, maybe we'll have multiple winners. The rules: there are none." Someone says through a microphone. A loud gong rings out. "Begin." The speaker prompts. I unsheathe my arm-blades and cut off the cuffs from around our wrists. Once we're free from the dangerous bindings, I look around. My heart momentarily stops when I see another clone. One with blue marked armour.

"Fives!" I gasp. I look from my Captain to my friend, a plan playing on my lips.

"You've got an idea?" Keeli says.

"Yeah. If we set our guns to stun and only shot if they are pressed against someone, we wouldn't kill any contestants and still win." I quickly look at Fives.

"Go get him. We'll be fine." The Captain orders. I don't need any further encouragement. I sprint toward my friend. A Twi'lek male wielding a pitchfork is charging the ARC. I parry the tool and shove my gun against his chest, stunning him with a believable flash that anyone from a distance would mistake as a killing shot.

The crowd is cheering so loudly in the stands above our bowl-like cage that no one could hear the unmistakable sound of the non-lethal setting going off. I let the Twi'lek drop and turn to Fives. Honestly, I almost hug him. I stay my emotions.

"You killed him!" He gasps.

"Don't be a di'kut. I only stunned him. Just trying to prolong his life by making it look like I killed him. Now come on." We run shoulder to shoulder back to my legion mates.

"Fives, how'd you end up here?" The shiny says in surprise.

"Scouting mission. I was ambushed. You?"

"We were mapping out some terrain on Saleucami. Ambushed, same as you." I explain. A shot almost hits me. A miffed looking Rodian is trying to kill us. I walk at him in an irritated fashion and promptly grab his gun, then stun him.

"Split up in pairs. Sooner we end this, sooner we can get out of here." The Captain orders. I happily go with Fives and we start running around, taking out any opponent we find.

"How are you guys? Tell me no one got killed." I say.

"We're all fine. Mess has been pretty quiet. What about you?"

"I'm alright. Been bored to tears, stuck at an outpost for a month."

"My first assignment was an outpost on Rishi Moon." He says.

"Oh, yeah, Rishi. Didn't that blow up?"

"Yes, but it was full of droids. No surprise Hevy enjoyed the action."

"Never met Hevy before. Transferred?"

"Dead. Blew up the outpost manually."

"Sorry. Watch your right!" Two Gamorrean boars are charging. I fight one head on until I slip behind him, then I stun him. Fives takes his down quickly. We regroup with the others. A woman is protecting her young son, a child no more than seven years old. They are the last ones standing besides us. She shields him with her body, holding another pitchfork. So many civvies. Kriff.

"What do you think we are, monsters? Not going to kill civvies." I mutter. She charges us and I knock the pitchfork straight up. Fives firmly pins her.

"Cowards!" He shouts at the crowd. "You're sending children and civvies to die! Where's the fun in seeing a kid slaughtered?" He sounds outraged. I know the feeling. The little boy is on the verge of tears. He's gripping a hand-held garden spade. I approach him, guns holsters and blades sheathed. His lip trembles.

"Y—you let mom go!" He whimpers.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I promise." I murmur. The kid drops his makeshift weapon and throws himself into my arms, sobbing. I pick him up and stagger back to the others. Fives releases the mother and I hand her her child. I cut off their cuffs while I'm at it.

"If you're going to make people fight, at least put them up against fair competition!" I yell. I continue by adding as many insults in as many languages as I can. Fives is watching me, probably with grim amusement as his HUD's translator does its work.

"Udesii." He finally says when I start slowing down. I take in deep breaths. "Someone really needs to start monitoring your Mando'a research."

"Yeah, but you can't monitor the last three years of my life. Half of that wasn't in a computer."

"I know. But half of that was."

"Be honest, how much of it did you actually need your translator for?"

"Not much." He admits.

"I rest my case." There are no words strong enough to describe how much I enjoy talking with him again.

"Ma'am, we're going to stun you and your kid. It'll hurt, but at least you'll be alive." Keeli says. She hesitates, but nods. The shiny and Captain do it.

"Close, but the blue marked one didn't come in with you." The announcer says.

"He's one of us. He's part of our group." I shout back.

"He wasn't caught with you." He replies.

"What are you going to do, slap our wrists? You can't make us kill him." The rookie yells. Turrets I hadn't noticed before swivel to point at us.

"We can kill you."

"Twitch?" The Captain murmurs.

"I could maybe block one of those shots, but then I'd be unconscious or hurt."

"How badly hurt?"

"_Oh no, oh no, my arms are broken_ hurt." I snap back. We're running out of time.

"If you kill us, you won't have a winner." Fives points out.

"We can live with that." The announcer says.

"Take off your helmets." I murmur. They do, but I'm getting strange looks. I raise my voice and sweep my hand at them. "They're brothers. You think you can make them kill each other? Think again."

"Take aim!" The announcer orders.

"Training course on Kamino, boys. Scatter." I say matter-of-factly. We break apart and run.

"Fire!" I dodge the large bolts, running and spinning quickly. I concentrate on staying in one piece.

"Haar'chak, kriffing or'diniis, fek!" I mutter as I try desperately to avoid being killed. I run past Keeli. I look around and do a quick survey of the arena. We can't keep this up forever, though everyone is alive for now.

I am close to Fives when a shot knocks his feet out from under him. I swerve and yank him out of the way, pulling him to the side while he regains his footing on clarity and the ground. He straights, but we split up before we can say anything, dashing away from the turrets' flying death.

Pockmarks dot the ground, making it uneven and hard to run on. It takes me a few seconds to realize the shooting has stopped. I look around desperately. Please don't let them have killed my brothers. Fives, the Captain...and the shiny. Thank goodness. We meet in the middle of the arena.

"I'm starting to hate these guys, too." The rookie grunts. I look at the decimated arena. A lot of unconscious contestants were shot. I see the boy. Half of his chest is blown off. I look away quickly.

"Well, then. You're all made of the same stuff. You can stay together." The announcer concedes. _Boom. _All the cuffs explode at once. I'm thrown off my feet as a nearby one goes off.

All those civilians we'd saved: dead. Fives stands shakily, grabbing his helmet on the way up. We exchange horrified looks. The rookie and Captain stand, both with their buckets off and shocked.

"Wh—why would they do that?!" The shiny cries.

"They were trying to kill us. They thought the others were already dead. Not like they would care anyways." I say coldly, face hardening into a scowl.

"Good thing you had the foresight to cut ours off." Keeli says. The shiny looks at us in disbelief.

"Aren't you upset?" I _am_ upset, and my fury is bubbling over. I lock eyes with him.

"Yes, we are. But crying about it isn't going to bring them back, and it isn't going to get us out of here alive. If you're going to mourn, DO IT LATER." I order. He puts on his helmet and nods. Fives gives me an unsure look and follows suit. I turn my attention back to the crowd.

"Are you going to waste more ammo trying to kill us, or are you going to let him live?" I shout. Our door swings open.

"You're lucky. This time."

§ § §

"What is that?" I ask, looking at a blue cloud rolling through the hallway towards us.

"Twitch, escape now." Keeli says. I nod and start chaffing my wrists against my shackles. In no time, blood is slipping down my hands.

"You're going to cut a vein. What are you doing?" Fives asks desperately.

"Escaping. Trust me. I've done this before." I grit my teeth as my wrists spasm in protest to the pain. I pull down with my right hand, twisting it. The blood makes my hand slick, allowing it to slip out, though it's fairly skinned.

I get my left hand free. The bars are spaced apart. Maybe... I take off my holsters and lay them on the ground, then suck in my breath. I squeeze through the bars quickly. A cough wracks my body. I grab my empty holsters and put them back on my belt. "I'll find some keys." I do after a couple minutes, but the keys come with a Trandoshan. I make quick work of him. I gasp for breath and cough some more. What is this stuff? I free the others and we get our weapons. They put on their helmets and analyze the blue vapour.

"Aw, kriff." The shiny groans.

"What is it?" I ask.

"A form of the Blue Shadow Virus." Fives says.

"I thought it disappeared years ago." I cough again. "Cures?"

"Reeksa Root. Found on a planet called Lego. Better known as the Planet of a Thousand Moons." Keeli says.

"We can't let anyone get off this boat or they'll infect the entire galaxy." Fives says.

"I could probably hardware the main reactor to explode, but we wouldn't have much time to make it to the hangar." I say. "How long before it kills us?"

"Forty eight hours." The shinie answers.

"Let's get moving." The Captain says.

"I'll head to the main reactor and get to work. You guys should get to the hangar and stop anyone from leaving." I say. They nod and we split up. I run quickly, finding myself in the correct room way sooner than I thought. I click on my comm.

"Captain, I made it. Where are you?"

"That was fast. Almost there. Get to work. We'll give you the go ahead when we're ready."

"Yes, sir." I cough again and start tinkering with wires and tubes. Soon, all I have left is one wire before I can cause a _this-ship-is-blowing-up-in-five-minutes-no-matter-what-the-fek-you-do_ self destruction sequence.

"Ready when you are, Twitch."

"Set a five minute timer and fire up the engines. If I don't make it by four minutes and forty seconds, get out of here." I say.

"Wait wha—" I turn off the comm before anyone can protest. I start the process and back up, watching and moving at the same time as lightning webs across the reactor. I turn and sprint for the hanger. I count the seconds in my head. I stop and look at a map, then take off again. One minute gone.

I push myself harder and cough. My endurance is going down hard. I keep running as two minutes tick by. Almost there... Three. A tremor shakes the ship. I stumble and keep going. Minute number four goes by.

My feet are getting heavy and I can't breathe properly. I feel sick to my stomach. Twenty seconds left. I burst into the hangar and make a beeline for the ship with Fives next to it. We get on.

"Get this thing moving, Captain!" Fives yells. We lift up. I kneel and breath deeply, hand on knee.

"What does the Virus attack first?" I ask.

"Your respiratory system. Get used to coughing." We head to the cockpit.

"It's a day's journey to Lego. I'm setting the autopilot in case we become incapacitated." Keeli mutters. I feel another tremor.

"That would be the ship exploding. You did a number on it." The shiny comments.

"It's simple. Cross the red wire with the blue wire and hope it does the same to that reactor as it did with a completely different ship." I say.

"You _did_ know what you were doing, right?" Keeli asks.

"I knew which wires to put where. I didn't know if it would be the same result as the last time I did it." I offer.

"So, you could've blown yourself up and the rest of us by accident?" Rookie demands.

"Yep. But I didn't." I answer.

* * *

_A.N. ~ I wanted to do the Blue Shadow Virus episodes with Twitch, but since I didn't, I did this instead. And, of course, I'm leaving on a cliffhanger. The next chapter will be up within 48 hours, though, and please review._

Twitch:_ can I strangle her _now_? I mean, she _did_ infect us with a deadly virus._

Keeli: _no. Concentrate on getting us to Lego. Surviving is more important than vengeance._

Twitch: _you're starting to sound like a Jedi, sir._

Keeli:_ can we not talk about Jedi? _

Twitch *remembering that Keeli lost his first Jedi General*:_ okay, better question: which di'kut made an aerosol version of a kriffing plague?_

Shiny:_ a di'kut?_

Twitch:_ why hadn't _I_ thought of that?_

Me:_ maybe you three should save your breath. For breathing. And not dying..._


	35. My Brothers' Lives

_A.N. ~ what, you thought I'm cruel enough to leave you guys hanging? Of course I'm posting the next chapter! Plus, Twitch is pointing her gun at me and I'm fairly sure she won't miss if she shoots..._

_Just a reminder, in case you forgot in the last seven chapters, that I do not own Star Wars. In this story, I only own my ONs. (Original nouns, which covers basically everything.) Ciao!_

* * *

By the time we make it to Lego, we've all heaved into a bucket, been coughing and we're all pretty beat up. I'd gotten a few painkillers from a medical droid, but they aren't doing much. We go through a graveyard of ships. I even spot a drifting body. I'm nervous. This is Separatist-controlled space, and we're in no condition to hold off an attack. We land.

"Alright. Let's get going." Keeli stands, then collapses. Fives and Rookie are no better off.

"Must be our bodies. They work faster than yours, so the Virus is probably killing us faster, too." Fives suggests. I stand and sway a little.

"I'll get the root. Hold on a little longer." I go to the sickbay and take some linen bandages. I wrap them around my mouth and nose. I go outside and start. Battle droid, battle droid, battle droid, oh look: battle droid. I unsheathe my arm-blades and slice several before stopping.

"Welcome to Lego. Welcome to Lego." They drone. I look at the strange paint on them. A dizzy spell hits and I have to kneel, gasping. I look up and see a stocky boy walking towards me.

"No, don't come closer. I'm infected with a disease. Stay back!" I grunt. He stops.

"Oh, uh...you cut up my droids! It takes a while to—" I start coughing and he shuts up,

"Where can I find Reeksa Root?" He looks at me irritably.

"Here, there, everywhere." He answers vaguely.

"My friends are _dying_. If you know, tell me. If you don't, stop wasting my time."

"Fine, fine. Follow me. Just...keep your distance." He says. I trail him to a cliff. He stands fifteen feet to my right.

"It's down there. Watch out for Xandus. Oh, and don't touch the vines. The plants have big, sharp teeth, and they don't like it."

"And here I thought Umbara was fun." I mutter as I start climbing.

"You've been to Umbara? What's it like?" The kid calls.

"Dark, dangerous, deadly, if you aren't careful. Kinda like me." I answer. A flying creature screeches and dives at me. I hold on with my left hand and grab a gun with my right. I take aim and shoot the animal in its head. It falls to the ground. I watch as large vines wrap around it and drag it into the mist. "Great." I grunt. My left arm spasms. I turn on my comm.

"Hey, Fives? What happens after nausea and headaches, again?"

"Muscle spasms and dizzy spells." He rasps.

"Thanks. Hang in there." He sounded really bad. Wait, dizzy spells? I'm dead. I almost fall the last several feet.

§ § §

I'm at a very awkward angle right now. I am cutting loose a thick piece of Reeksa Root, but it's hard when I'm almost fainting and my arm is twitching of its own accord. I finally manage to free it. I stand up and wedge the precious root in between my belt and the crook of my hip.

I carefully make my way back to the cliff face and lean against the wall. I groan and start climbing. My chest is heaving when I've made it to the top. I roll onto my back and lay still.

"Kid, if I pass out, mind getting the root to the medical droid on my ship?"

"Who're you calling a kid, kid?"

"My name's Twitch." I say. I sit up and start walking back to the ship. He trails behind me.

"I'm Jaybo. Why didn't your friends come get the root themselves?"

"Because they're worse than me." I stumble and rest on my knee.

"Then they must be almost dead." Jaybo says.

"They probably are." I struggle to my feet and start jogging.

"You should slow down." He calls.

"If I take my time, they could die or I might pass out and then they'll die. Don't come into contact with anyone and stay near the entrance of the ship. I'm going to give you the cure, too, in case you've been infected."

"What?! How?"

"It's possibly airborne. Look, I have the antidote. Just stay near the ship and don't let anyone come within twenty feet of you." We reach the ship. I stumble aboard and hurry to the sick bay. I give the droid the root and sit down.

"I need five inoculations, please."

"Of course. I will also prepare a spray to vent through the ship. No traces of the Virus will be left onboard."

"Thank you." As soon as the first inoculation is ready, I toss it to Jaybo. "Stick yourself and don't come near the ship."

"Have you cured yourself?"

"No. Number one rule: civvies are taken care of first. We come later."

"You talk like a soldier."

"What do you think I am? Not many thirteen year olds carry guns." I go back inside. I turn on the ventilation system and return to the sickbay. I'm handed the spray and I release it into the vents. I throw out my linen bandages.

Next, I'm given four more needles. I stick myself and get to the cockpit. I take off my brothers' helmets and inject them. My body shuts down and I collapse. Too much exertion under too much strain. Everyone but me is unconscious. I close my eyes and rest.

§ § §

Someone checking my pulse brings me out of a pleasant dream. I grumble and open my eyes.

"What? Are Separatists attacking?" I snap. Then my vision comes into focus and I see not Rex, but Keeli. The last month crashes down on me. Rex isn't my captain anymore. "Sorry, Captain. Is everyone alright?" I sit up and look at the others.

"We're all alive. Good work." Rookie and Fives are sitting across from me, relaxing after their near-death experience.

"Fives, guess what." I say.

"What? Because I'm not toughening up until I sleep a little longer." I smirk.

"There are plants that eat us here, too." He groans.

"Oh, great."

"Oh, and there are flying killer animals."

"You sure we aren't on Umbara?" He growls.

"Locals don't look like it."

"You came in contact with civvies?" Keeli demands.

"No! The kid stayed fifteen feet away at all times. I gave him the antidote too, just in case."

"How old was he?" Fives asks.

"Not that it's relevant, but he looked about ten or twelve."

"Now, I expect you home by ten, young lady!" Rookie teases. I realize what he's implying.

"Don't make me feed you to the plants, shiny." I warn.

"She'll do it." Fives adds. He looks pale. So does Rookie and Keeli, for that matter. Still on the mend. My stomach growls and my throat feels dry. We need food and water before anything. I get to my feet and sit down again until the dizzy spell ends. The air has a sharp smell to it. Probably the airborne antidote.

"Should get fuel and food." I mutter.

"We all need fresh air. We'll split up. Twitch, you and Fives get food. We'll get the fuel." Keeli decides. I stand up again. Fives follows suit and we file outside. The group of droids approaches us again. My brothers raise their weapons.

"Hold up! They're reprogrammed." I say, walking over to one. I knock on its head a couple times for emphasis. "Harmless." I add, shrugging. Jaybo walks up again.

"I take it you're not dying?" He says.

"Crisis averted." He looks at the three clones behind me.

"Whoa. You're clones, aren't you?" Such innocent excitement. Sheesh. They take their helmets off.

"I'm Captain Keeli. This is Fives, and you already met Twitch, apparently." He gives me a pointed look.

"He's not dying. I told you, I already gave him an inoculation." I defend myself.

"What about you?" Jaybo says, looking curiously at Rookie.

"I'm still working on a name." He explains.

"Until then, we get to call him 'shiny'." I joke.

"Why?" The kid asks.

"'Cause rookies' armour is shinier than more experienced troops." Keeli says.

"So, you're a shinie too?" Jaybo looks back to me.

"Eh, how about no. My last gauntlets...broke—"

"Exploded." Fives cuts in. I give him a look before continuing.

"So my new ones make me look like a rookie, even though I'm not." I finish.

"Could these ones explode?" Jaybo says nervously.

"Not unless Fives and the others rigged them to. And if they did, I'll be very unhappy." I reply.

"Back to more important matters, do you know where we can get some food and fuel?" Keeli says.

"I can show you where to get food, and there's some fuel in a warehouse, but it won't do you much good, unless you want to die."

"Would that be a threat or warning?" I say. Because a threat wouldn't be a very good idea.

"A warning. Drol destroys any ships that try leaving Lego." He replies quickly.

"Who's Drol?" Keeli asks.

"The ghost of Drol. Never heard of him? The planet's cursed. Any ships that try leaving...well, let me show you." He leads us to a holoprojector and shows us a panicking Rodian in a chair. Explosions show in the background, then consume the screen after the Rodian talks a little more.

I wince at the pilot's dying scream. Clone or other, the scream of the dying is always unmistakeable. I look at the others. Their faces are grim. Jaybo takes us to a half-ruined building and gives us some fruit.

"So, um...what are other planets like?" The kid asks.

"They vary. Coruscant, for example, is a lot different from, say...Umbara." I mutter, not in a talking mood. This is completely lost on the other teenager.

"Okay, then what's Coruscant like?"

"The entire planet it a city. At night, there are enough lights to illuminate the whole planet. It can be beautiful, if you stay in the good parts of it." I offer. The kid's never travelled. I guess I should have a little more patience.

"What are the bad parts like?" He asks, enthralled.

"The really bad parts are usually full of lowlifes. There's drinking, fighting..." I catch myself before I can get into details.

"And Umbara?" Oh, kriff. I look at Fives for help. He starts chewing suspiciously slowly.

"Most of what I've seen of Umbara is outside of the cities. The Umbarans are advanced in technology. The wildlife isn't friendly. Imagine worse versions of your killer plants and Xandus and you've pretty much got it. It's dark, misty." I try to think of anything else to say, but most of it isn't good. I shrug and take another bite of my fruit.

"Why weren't you in the cities?" He apparently wants to know everything about Umbara.

"We were fighting Separatists." Fives says. Technically, the Umbarans who fought against us _had_ sided with the Seppies. Thank you, Fives. It sounds better than _we were fighting locals_.

"What other planets have you been to?" Jaybo demands, looking at Fives.

"Ask Twitch. She's travelled a lot." The ARC diverts.

"And you've been exposed to every environment known to man during training." I point out. I turn back to face the civvy. "Heard of any planets?"

"What's Rodia like?"

"It's a swamp planet. The cities are built right on top of the marshes. I haven't been there, actually. Not enough Separatist activity."

"So, the Republic just sends you wherever the most Separatists are?"

"No. They send us where we're needed." Keeli explains. Of course, they send troops. Not like they specifically pick the soldiers for certain jobs. If they did, I'd still be in the 501st, fighting on the front lines.

"Twitch, we don't need a fire here." Fives snaps me out of it. I've really got to change my thinking face.

"Sorry."

"You alright?" Rookie asks.

"Fine."

"That's just the face she has when she's thinking." Says Fives. I nod and add,

"Or when somebody I don't like enters the room."

"Sucks to be them." Jaybo jokes. I chew the food with relish. This is so much better than what we usually eat. The other kid smirks as he watches us polish off our food. "When's the last time you guys ate?" I tally it up in my head.

"Nearly two days ago." His eyes widen in surprise.

"Wow. What do you usually eat?" I hide a smirk as Fives produces a ration bar and hands a piece to Jaybo. He pops it in his mouth and chews a couple times before the most priceless expression of surprise and disgust covers his face. We chuckle as he spits out the dry food. "Ugh! _That's_ what you have every day?!"

"Our usual meals are a little better, but not by much." Keeli says. Jaybo looks back at me.

"You eat it too?"

"Even Jedi eat it." I reply.

"You've met Jedi? What're they like?"

§ § §

"You sure you want to do this? Drol hasn't let any ship go yet." Jaybo says.

"Maybe we'll get lucky." Fives replies good-naturedly. We get into the ship. Keeli and Fives take the helm, Rookie covers navigation.

"Twitch, prep the gun. Something destroyed those ships. Let's see if we can scare it off." The Captain orders. I sit down and quickly learn the weapons systems. We breach the atmosphere. Just as we reach the debris field, light flashes. I watch as a web of electricity takes form.

Keeli maneuvers around the strands. I try getting a lock on whatever is reflecting and sending out the light, but we're spinning too much. We swerve around and head back to the planet. As soon as we land, I start breathing again.

"Good news; a ghost-god isn't what's destroying ships." I mutter.

"Bad news; an energy field is." Keeli growls. We go outside.

"You guys _did_ get lucky. You're still alive." Jaybo says, running up.

"Well, it's not an angry ghost up there. It's an energy field. Probably left by the Separatists." Fives explains. Jaybo thinks about it.

"Maybe you should meet the angel." He says.

"Angel?" Rookie echoes doubtfully.

"The Diathim. Often called angels because they're supposed to be beautiful." I explain.

"They are." Jaybo agrees dreamily. He leads us through a crumbling town to a house. A tall, winged woman with a glowing white aura around her steps out. I can't quite make out her face because the glow is so bright.

Fives takes off his helmet and looks at her in surprise. An expression I'm not sure I like covers his face. I jab his side with my elbow. He jerks and looks at me crossly. I rub the joint and give him a warning look. Keeli seems to be struggling with himself.

"Captain, maybe I should do the talking." I say.

"Why?" Rookie asks unhappily.

"Because I'm the only one here not making eyes." I reply.

"You're right." The Captain concedes. "A—About the talking part." He adds quickly. I nod to make him think I agree before shooing all three of them as far as possible (about fifteen feet), and return to the angel.

"Sorry about that. They're smart, but they can be a little..." I can't find the right word.

"I understand. They aren't the worst men I've met. How can I help you?"

"There's an energy field surrounding Lego. Do you have any ideas where it's generator might be?"

"When the Separatists came, they drove my people from our home: Millius Prime." She looks down sadly.

"So it might be there?" I guess.

"It is my best guess."

"Thank you. I'll put it to good use."

"Goodbye, and the best of luck be with you."

"For you as well." She goes back into the house. I rejoin my friends. Keeli seems to be getting a reign on his emotions, but Fives and Rookie are still starry-eyed.

"Guys?" I prompt. They don't respond. I roll my eyes and save myself a lot of time. I crack their heads together.

"Ow!" Fives yelps.

"Snap out of it. If your minds aren't on Coruscant anymore, we have an energy field to destroy." I growl, exasperated. They nod, though I still see hints of wonder in their eyes.

We start walking. Fives is behind me, Rookie is to my left. Keeli is ahead and to the right. The shiny almost walks into a building. I steer him out of the way and keep him in front of me. I hear a scuffle and turn to see Fives managed to collide.

I get him next to Rookie, making sure they don't hit anything else. "I'm surrounded by star-struck di'kuts." I mutter to myself. For once, I'm glad Rex isn't here. I have no idea what he'd do or how he'd react. The Captain gets to the ship.

"Alright, where's the generator?" He asks.

"Are you here?" I retort.

"Here and smacking you next time you use that tone." He growls. Good. He _is_ here. I look at Fives and Rookie.

"We're here." The ARC says.

"Millius Prime. It's our best bet. Somewhere around that moon is the generator." I explain. Fives and Rookie have gone off to dreamland again. Keeli makes to slap them, but I grab his hand and smirk. We walk several feet away.

"Got a plan?" He guesses.

"Oh, yeah. I noticed some spice plants earlier. Take a bite and the taste will stick with you for hours. Think it'll snap them out of it?"

"Worth a try. I'll stay with them in case something happens. You go get the leaves."

"On it." I jog to the bushes and grab several small black orbs. I hurry back around the curb and see them walking slowly in the direction of the angel's house. I dash over and grab the Captain, shoving a couple kernels in his mouth and forcing him to chew before moving on to Rookie and Fives.

They cough and spit, but the damage is done. I roll my eyes. "Star-struck, mir'osik di'kuts. Snap out of it before I resort to buckets of ice water." I snarl. Frustration boils through me at their weakness. Fives stares down the street. I force eye contact. "Remember Hardcase? He was your friend until Separatists KILLED HIM. Do you remember the civvies who were BLOWN UP two days ago? How about Krell and how he killed dozens of us. Know why we're trying to get off this rock? Because the sooner we get back to the Republic, the sooner we can help stop things like that from happening. Every second you waste here is another dead brother back home." He looks at me with pure shock. I've never spoken to him like this. I grab Rookie by his shoulders. "Remember that time when Separatists caused a cave in with us IN THE CAVE? And the boulder that crushed your legs? You had to spend a week in a bacta tank. Remember how many of your brothers died in that cave in? Twenty three of them!" He looks just as shellshocked. I move on to the Captain. "Do I need to start with you?" I growl.

"I think I've got the message." He snaps.

"Yeah, well, I'm on a roll and yours is the shortest list. And I get the feeling you're going to hurt me, so I'll make it quick. The Separatists killed your half your legion, your Jedi General, and they almost killed you. Everyone with me?" SMACK! I stagger from the blows. A killer headache springs up. Ouch. I think I got their attention. "Good. Now let's go blow up a generator." I notice Jaybo peaking from a nearby alleyway. Oh, no. He just heard the ugly truth about war. I keep an eye on the others straight until we're at our stations. My cheeks sting where they'd hit me. I get ready at the guns. "Remember that if you get distracted in the next ten minutes, we're likely to die." I say.

"And that's not distracting at all." Someone mutters. We lift off and head for Millius Prime.

§ § §

"Take the shot!"

"Hold the kriffing ship steady!" I snap. We level out. I quickly lock on and fire. I watch on the targeting screen as the generator blows. The energy field lights up with explosions in a chain reaction. Rookie's hands are flying as he sets the course back to Lego. One local superstition down the drain. We land and head to get more fuel. I find Jaybo.

"You were really hard on them." He says.

"I had to be. If I hadn't done it, they would've gotten themselves killed."

"Was that really the only way you could've done it?"

"They're my family. They're the ones I care about, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep them alive. Even bring up things we try to forget." He shakes his head.

"You are one tough kid. No wonder you're a soldier." I hear no longing or wistfulness in his voice. He heard what it's like in war.

"Thanks. Well, the field is down. You guys are free to leave any time you want."

"I'll let the others know. You're friends are ready." He nods to the other clones.

"I better go."

"Y'know, you kinda do look like a family. I can see the resemblance." I chuckle.

"To me, that's a compliment. Bye, Jaybo."

"See you, Twitch."

* * *

_A.N. ~ there you have it;_ the second chapter of the Brothers Arc. Please review, positive and negative. Next chapter will be up soon.


	36. My Brother's Love

Fives and I are holding down the fort while Keeli and Rookie get some sleep. We take care of the first half of the trip back to Saleucami, then we get to sleep the rest of the journey. I double check our route to be sure we won't crash and die.

"You were a real shabuir, saying those things." The ARC comments.

"I know." I won't try defending myself. He has every right to be angry.

"You brought up Hardcase, you brought up Krell, you brought up the shiny's legs and the Captain's dead men. Those are things you only mention when it's necessary or you're desperate."

"I know. I was desperate." Admitting panic is a rarity among us.

"_How_ desperate?" He asks, tone hurt. I spin my seat to look him in the eye. My raw emotions and the stress burst their banks.

"Desperate enough to do whatever I had to to keep you alive. To say whatever I had to so you would focus, and not get killed." I'm shocked at how close to tears I am. I hated hurting my brother that much, and having him snap about it isn't helping. My voice is choked and unusual.

He quickly sets the auto pilot and walks up to me. I stand and look him in the eye. My vision is blurring and I'm so close to crying, it isn't funny. He suddenly wraps his arms around me and holds me in a hug. I squeeze back and a sob wracks my body.

I try stopping it, but the tears feel good finally leaving my eyes. He holds me and strokes my head as I cry. After a good ten minutes of sobbing, we separate and I wipe my face. I try controlling the tears. After a bit of uneven breathing and sniffs, I manage.

"I'm sorry." I say, still with a waver in my voice.

"You did what you had to to keep us alive. You kept us in one piece since the arena. That's a pretty impressive achievement, too." I smile despite myself.

"Oh, the Captain is going to have me scrubbing the outpost for weeks." I groan. He chuckles.

"Who knows. He probably understands you did what was necessary. Though, I'm still tasting whatever you put in my mouth." I snort in amusement.

"Pepper. Sorry about that."

"No, helped me think straight. When will it wear off, again?"

"Uh...another three hours. A dry ration bar might do the trick. You know, soak up the flavour. Still going to take a while, though."

"I am getting you for this."

"And now I am never sleeping."

"Heh. Don't worry. So, outpost, huh? What do you usually do?" I shrug.

"I'm generally on the patrols."

"All those who saw _that_ coming." He mutters. I smirk and check navigation.

§ § §

I step into the sunlight and sigh with relief. Made it. We walk to the door and Keeli types in the code. We find one of the legion members waiting.

"Captain! Are you alright?" He asks after a salute.

"We're fine. I've got to contact the General. Twitch, you show Fives around. All three of you get some rest and a check up." We tiredly salute.

"So, who's in the mood for lunch?" I ask. Fives nods, but Rookie shakes his head.

"I'm going for that check up." He mutters before stalking off. I watch him unhappily. I'll probably have to wait until he leaves his rookie status behind before he recognizes what I'd done was necessary. Which means I'm back where I started, minus Ticks' harassment.

"He'll get over it. Where's the Mess, again?" Fives offers. I push Rookie to the back of my mind and lead the ARC to the Mess Hall. We get our food and sit down in the back. We're getting a lot of glances. By now, I'm used to it and eat my food nonchalantly. Fives seems a little more unnerved. Halfway through our meal, he speaks.

"Gah. How do you stand it?" He says.

"Are you referring to now or in general?" I ask.

"Anytime!" I softly chuckle.

"I'm used to it. Just pretend they aren't there." He scowls at his food and ignores even me for a short while. "Fives, toughen up." I say after he starts fidgeting again. "Especially since they've stopped looking at you." He scans the Mess and visibly relaxes.

"I don't know how you put up with that."

"I'm good at ignoring people when I want. So, where's the 501st been lately?" I ask, hoping to get his mind off current matters.

"Securing Plytunon." I smile.

"And I'm missing it. I was really hoping to take another crack at it."

"Only upside I can think of with you not being there; I won't wake up covered in snow."

"It's dangerous to play with snow near Jedi. I vaguely remember being knocked over by a Force-pushed snow bank." He grins.

"I distinctly remember someone having four fewer droid kills than someone else."

"I was strangled by a commando droid!" I protest.

"Excuses, excuses." He flicks his fork dismissively.

§ § §

"Ow. Shoulda remembered it was dangerous to spar with you." I help Fives up.

"Sorry."

"How'd you get that much energy already?"

"Remember how I haven't been shot at for three days?"

"Oh, grief. Never understand you."

"Good. I don't like being predictable." Fives pauses, then sighs.

"My transport's here." Someone must have used the helmet-to-helmet comms.

"Say hi to the others for me."

"Will do." I remember a moment from Krovell.

"And watch Rex's back. Someone should."

"Yes ma'am. Ret'urcye mhi, ner vod."

"Ret'urcye mhi." He walks away and waves his hand without looking back. I wave back, trusting his HUD to let him see it.

§ § §

The monthly kitchen-droid check-ups roll around and I'm on kitchen duty, preparing a counter for dishes by putting what can go in into the washer, cleaning the counter where the washed dishes will dry, and getting anything that needs washing on the left hand counter after dinner. I've just started when someone behind me initiates small-talk.

"So, they've got kids doing kitchen work now?" I don't look behind me and talk while I work.

"Monthly kitchen droid maintenance. Volunteers work one day a month. Besides, my age doesn't have anything to do with it... I hope."

"You volunteered for this?"

"Nah. 'Volunteer' is my more positive term for 'selected'. I don't mind, though."

"Why not? I know I'd be upset about washing dishes."

"No patrols today. I've already scrubbed my guns and gauntlets to the point where they'd break if I did it one more time."

"So, all you do is patrolling?" His voice is neutral.

"Mostly. I'm not too good with tuning ships, and I'd explode working behind a screen all day."

"Energetic?"

"Very. What about you? You work the communications, the monitors, what?"

"I usually help keep things in order. Aren't you young to be a soldier?"

"Everyone can keep saying it, I'm not going to stop." I mutter.

"Sorry, just...you're a kid."

"And you're what, ten?"

"Twenty three."

"Biologically."

"But...that's the part that counts, right?" I give him a grunt that could mean yes or no.

"So, are you a rookie?" I say while transporting a heavy pot to the counter.

"What makes you say that?"

"Anybody here can tell you I can hold my own in a fight."

"Ah. So, is this your first legion?"

"No. I'm one of the original transfers."

"Where from?"

"Torrent Company."

"The 501st?! How?"

"Next time we're on the same patrol and we run into a dangerous animal, I'll show you."

"Okay. So, do you miss it?"

"Everyone I knew was in the 501st. I wasn't extremely pleased with my transfer."

"Still unhappy about it?"

"Depends on how my day goes. Lately, I've been a little legion-sick." I can't say homesick because then I'd sound all sappy. Can't have that.

"Why?" He asks curiously, with just a hint of concern.

"Saw someone I knew from the 501st several days ago, and I'm not on good terms with the one guy I do know here."

"Sounds rough. Don't your parents worry?"

"They would if I had parents."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"What for? I didn't know them. So, where did you transfer from? Unless we got a new batch of shinies I didn't know about." I change the subject abruptly. I finish putting away the last misplaced oven-mitt and start scrubbing the sinks clean for washing.

"I'm not a rookie. And I didn't transfer." I look behind me sharply and see Keeli standing with his arms crossed.

"Captain! I—uh...why?" I have the feeling that I'm busted, though I'm not sure what for.

"I talk with all my squad members without them knowing it's me."

"Again, and I quote; why?"

"I want to see if they act the same way around me if they don't know I'm me." Understandable...sort of.

"So, how'd I do?" I'm inwardly cringing.

"You were harsher in the field."

"I play things by ear and act accordingly."

"So, you never have a plan?"

"I _always_ have a plan. It's why I'm not dead yet."

"So, if commandos came through that door, you'd know what to do?" I take in the entire room plus kitchen. I bend over and pick up two objects from a cubby. He looks at them and chuckles.

"Your gauntlets. Do you always have them on hand?"

"Everywhere I go. Another excellent reason why I'm alive." Tuber gloves protect my sleeves, so my scars aren't visible.

"You seem a little paranoid."

"Yet another factor for my survival."

"Really?" He doesn't sound convinced.

"I can name four times when someone's ignored my paranoia and something bad happened."

"Okay, shoot." I start washing dishes.

"One, I ignored it and ended up caught by a Trandoshan bounty hunter."

"There's a bounty on your head?"

"I used to mess with Dooku's plans a lot. Two, we were on Plytunon and I said I'd heard something. Several hours later—the recon droid I'd heard sent commando droids to ambush us."

"Continue."

"Three, a small group of us went to Florrum to rescue a senator from pirates. I'd warned them the pirates would probably know we were coming, and they ignored me. One of us was tortured and almost died."

"I'm not sure I want to hear the fourth. Go ahead."

"Krovell. I'd predicted the abandoned caves we were going to investigate would be a bad idea. When we reached the caves and went in, explosives left by the Separatists went off and caused a massive cave in. A lot of us were injured and half of our men died." Keeli doesn't talk for a while, contemplating my words.

"Why did you save me on Ryloth? There were droids, I was unconscious and injured. You could have left me. I'm one of thousands." I look him in the eye.

"You're an individual in thousands of other individuals. With all due respect, sir, I'm smacking the next person to sell any clone's life short."

"The question still stands." He replies evenly.

"I saved you because I care who dies and I'm sick of the Separatists killing whenever and whoever they want. And I'd been waiting to destroy that group of droids all day." I add the last part to keep the conversation light, and because it's true.

"Half a legion of of trained men and a Jedi couldn't take down those droids. How were you going to?"

"Divide and conquer. I'd set up three small bombs at dawn. If the Republic hadn't arrived, I would've triggered the explosions."

"Why didn't _we_ think of that?" I hear him mutter. I wouldn't have heard him if my senses weren't in overdrive. "New question. How did you drag a ninety kilo man to safety with droids to deal with?"

"I didn't have much trouble with droids. I set off my bombs. When I saw how many droids there were, I'd reset them to have larger explosions. Most of the droids went to investigate."

"What about the dragging part?"

"You were out a lot longer than you think. I had to make camp for half the night before getting you the rest of the way."

"Still a klick out from the other forces. How'd you get them to me?"

"I went to the outskirts of the camp and fired a couple shots into the air. Staying ahead and out of sight of five troops was fun."

"Why were you so anxious to not be seen?"

"I was a rogue. I didn't want to be found."

"So, why did you stay?"

"Umbara. A lot happened."

"That's all I'm going to get?"

"Short of ordering me. Umbara's a sore spot for a lot of us." I finish with the dishes and set them out to dry.

"Understandable. Go get some sleep. Maybe we'll meet a dangerous animal tomorrow."

§ § §

I am severely disappointed that we didn't find any wildlife that wanted us dead. We start trudging back to the outpost. It's me, the Captain, and two others. No one is talking, which makes me think one of the others isn't from the same legion/battalion as the another.

Sometimes I wish I did wear a helmet. Keeli is more likely than not to have noticed the divisions among our men, but it's still something I want to talk about privately. It's times like these when no words are spoken and tensions are high that I miss the easygoing, smooth rhythm in which the 501st works. As we reenter the outpost, I lag behind a little. As soon as two other troopers leave, I catch up with Keeli.

"Sir, the men are still a little tense. I mean, the 501st and 212th transfers mostly stay apart."

"I know. Give them a couple battles, they'll get over it." He speaks as though he's been down this road.

"Yes, sir."

§ § §

I am walking by the listening room, heading for the Mess, when I hear something that catches my attention.

"Sir, we have an incoming meteor shower." I enter the room and take a look at the full-spectrum transceiver station. On a green grid, rock-shaped pieces fall toward the surface. A flash of memory goes through my head.

_This is what the incoming meteors looked like just before my outpost was attacked, _Fives' voice echoes.

_Why is this important? _I'd asked.

_Because, commando droids were hidden inside some and they attacked us. _

He had shown me a sketch and made me draw it out until I'd memorized it. I quickly close my eyes and recall the exact image. I look back to the screen.

"Haar'chak." I mutter under my breath. I dash to the door and sprint to the bunks. No Keeli. I switch on my comm.

"Captain?" I almost plead.

"What is it, Twitch? I'm trying to eat!" Comes the cross reply.

"We have a problem. A meteor shower is coming and—"

"_This_ is why you're—" he breaks off in a sigh, "we'll be fine."

"But—" my comm goes dead. I run to the Mess Hall and march over to the Captain. I sit down without an invitation and glare at him. "And number five, my entire outpost was massacred by commando droids because my captain wouldn't listen to me." I growl.

"What are you talking about?" He snaps, clearly not amused.

"That meteor shower is in the exact same pattern as the one that landed near the Rishi Moon outpost. Fives was there. Commando droids were hidden inside some of the meteors and killed nearly everyone in the outpost except four men who had survived destroying the building. Do you want a replay of that, or are you going to say I'm paranoid?" I feel a tremor, probably the first meteor landing. My arm-blades almost slide out in anxiety.

"You _are_ paranoid. But, you're still alive after a lot of scrapes. Get your guns and meet in the communications room. You'd better be right."

"If I'm not, at least we'll know how fast everyone's response rate is." I stand and go back to the bunks, clipping on my guns before going to the communications room. Keeli appears a couple minutes later. He grabs the intercom and addresses the entire base.

"Get your guns, boys. I want defensive positions in all key areas and an open channel with everyone. Let's move it!" I can't help but compare Keeli to Rex. I know the latter would be less skeptical. I mean, it's _Rex_.

The room empties, then refills as the newly-armed troops get in position. I climb up to a high perch. A lot of men look at me, but no one comments. We wait in tense silence for something to happen.

§ § §

I'm about to jump down and concede that I might've been wrong when a trooper appears in the doorway.

"Sir, all things clear." He reports.

"Return to your post." Keeli orders. The trooper hesitates.

"Roger, roger." I shoot an inch off from the clone's head. He immediately flies forward limply and a commando droid takes out its vibrosword. I jump from my vantage point while shooting and roll. I holster my guns and unsheathe my blades.

Yes! Action! I'd be much happier if there were no casualties, though. The commando tries getting past me at the other soldiers. We hop back and forth in a deadly game of capture the flag. If he reaches the others, he wins. If I slice him, all the better for us.

Unluckily, the droid has friends. I watch them out of the corner of my eye. No more games. I go on full forward offensive and behead the droid. I go after the next closest one, and so on. The commandos apparently know how to divide their forces according to threat though, so soon I'm stuck with three of the dangerous machines.

Something cracks against the side of my arm that doesn't have a blade sticking out of it. A fourth commando has snuck up. I can't hold them all off. Even when I'm running and jumping and doing every twist known to sentient beings, I can't avoid a blade.

It would've gone through my eye, except that I fling my head back. I gasp as it cuts my skin, but gravity pulls me out of the way. Everyone else is occupied with their own commandos. Blood starts dripping into my right eye, making it hard to see. Something hits me from my blindside.

I shake my head and try to keep track of what is where. Next time I flip away from a droid, I lose track of everything and land on my side. Several vibroswords rise. Only two of them fall. Keeli has found time to shoot them from behind. I roll and duck another couple swings before pivoting behind them. I crack their heads together and shove them against the floor.

* * *

_A.N. ~ and thus why paranoia is important._

Twitch:_ told'ja so._

Me: _no, you told Rex, Keeli, Fives, and Tup so. I'm just agreeing. Readers, please review, positive and negative comments. Next chapter will be up within 48 hours._


	37. Incognito Captain

_A.N. ~ I'm bored. Saturdays are basically always my writing days. The Brother Arc is technically over, but its spirit still lingers..._

* * *

"Hold still!"

"I barely moved!"

"If I poke your eye, that'll be my excuse." The medic and I argue. He's disinfecting the gash over my right eye and checking for any serious damage. He finishes, moving his fingers from close to my eye. I crossly blink a few times and stop when the action pulls against my cut.

"Thanks." I mutter. He nods stiffly and I go to the bunks. Strangely enough, I feel like a can actually sleep, even after that fight.

§ § §

REX'S P.O.V.

Fives has relayed a hello from Twitch. I'm glad she's alright, and that the ARC made it back alive. It's strange not seeing her in the Mess or spot her out of the corner of my eye during a fight. Sometimes I catch myself wondering if we'll meet in the hallway before remembering she's stuck in an outpost on Saleucami.

§ § §

FIVES' P.O.V.

_And watch Rex's back. Someone should._

The words haunt me. I've never thought of Rex as someone who needs anyone watching his back. I haven't told him about the request. I stand beside Tup in the LAAT/i gunship, talking it over through or helmets' comm privately.

"It does sound like something she'd say. You know how protective she can be when it comes to clones." Tup agrees. I'm torn between watching my brother-by-choice's back and my Captain's.

"Yeah, but Rex can take care of himself." I say lamely.

"So can we, but it gets hard without anyone helping you." I bob my head in agreement. But there's still the problem of who I stick with. He seems to read my mind.

"Ah, do what she says and give the Captain a hand." I see Rex and General Skywalker coming our way. We shut up and salute. Another go at Plytunon. Wonderful.

§ § §

STILL FIVES' P.O.V.

Savage?! Since when was that monster here? Skywalker is busy with several commandos. I continue shooting at Opress beside Rex. He advances on us. We start backing up nervously.

Tup joins our unproductive attempts of killing the Sith. Savage apparently tires of our resistance and leaps at us. We dive roll and resume shooting. Rex lifts up in the air and flies toward the glowing red lightsaber, dragged by the Force.

"Rex!" I cry. The two halves of my friend tumble to the ground. I watch numbly as the monster steps towards me. The red blade rises and... Ahsoka shoves me aside and starts attacking Savage with a light of fury in her eyes. I start shooting again, pained and horrified. Rex...

§ § §

FIVES' P.O.V. (AGAIN. BEAR WITH ME)

I reluctantly turn on the holopad and wait. A clone appears and regards me.

"Identify yourself."

"ARC-trooper Fives. Is a young girl named Twitch in the building?" My small friend suddenly walks into view. I could swear her eyes brighten.

"Fives. Everyone still alive over there?" She asks cheerfully. I wish I was anywhere but here. She sees my expression and becomes serious. "What happened?"

"Savage attacked us during a fight on Plytunon. Tup and Splinter are okay, but Rex..." Her expression is enough to break even the toughest soldier's heart.

"Dead?" She almost whispers. I swallow hard and nod. She looks at the ceiling and blinks before looking back to me.

"Thanks for letting me know. I, um..."

"I know. Bye." I'm almost afraid she'll cry.

"Bye." The hologram flickers out of existence.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I mask my face with cold lack of emotion. I feel like throwing up, but go to the Mess. My heart hurts, and my throat aches from holding back a sob. I know any of us could die at any minute, but that moment always seems so far off.

It's a complete shock to hear that Rex... I can't finish that thought. Not when I'm so close to crying. I sit alone in the back and pick at my food. I eventually begin to put it in my mouth, chew, then swallow in a robotic rhythm.

Once I'm done, my stomach does a turn, then settles. I sit still and stare at the far wall blankly. Someone sits next to me and I slowly turn my head to look at him. I should be surprised at seeing Keeli sitting there, staring at me with a strange look that, normally, I'd identify as worry, but I'm still numb to the world.

"You're looking pretty pale. Are you alright?" He says. I start shaking my head, then quickly stop.

"I—I'm fine." My voice is strained.

"What's wrong?" I struggle to find a believable lie, but give up.

"I was just talking to Fives. Rex is dead. Opress killed him." My throat tightens and I focus on scraping the last few crumbs off my tray.

"I take it you two knew each other?"

"Yeah. For months." My hoarse voice sounds unusual to me. A burning anger suddenly flares up when I picture the horned Sith that hurt Fives and killed my friend.

§ § §

KEELI'S P.O.V.

I watch Twitch's face contort in a storm of emotion. Flashes of blank, angry, and grief stricken lightning burn in her eyes. Clones aren't people you get close to. We are bred to fight and die. She seems to finally win out and an icy scowl locks into her expression.

I think about the patrol we had been planning to go on that I was about to remind her of. Not a good call now. I don't think this is an age thing, or a gender thing. This is something that fits more along the lines of losing a friend.

I always wondered why she seemed more relaxed about talking with me than other troops. I thought maybe it was her origins, whatever they are, but now I'm certain it's because she'd known Rex and is used to chatting with higher-ups.

If it weren't for her age, I probably would've made her second-in-command by now. She's proven capable of toughing it out in a bad situation, and willing to go to extreme lengths to protect the men she's with.

Though mentioning my dead men on Lego was not something I like, it was necessary to keep me focused. Hearing the news of the 501st's dead Captain doesn't hit me very hard emotionally wise. Clones die every day. But Rex was tough, smart, and extremely capable. Then again, Savage is a Sith, and clones are pretty ineffective against them.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

It's been a couple weeks since I heard about Rex. I want nothing more than to leave and track down Savage myself, but that wouldn't help. I can't beat him in a fight, and if I up and left the Republic again, I get the feeling they wouldn't welcome me back. The cruel fact of life is that, right now, I'm stuck on this rock.

§ § §

ANAKIN'S P.O.V.

Ghynna regards me with a mixture of confusion and surprise.

"Why do you want Twitch? She is only a child. Your legion is likely to get her killed."

"She was with us for five months. And I need her because she has street smarts. She knows her way around."

"And you're confident you can keep an eye on her?" The Twi'lek crosses her arms.

"Sometimes I get the feeling she keeps an eye on us."

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I clip on my guns and check my arm-blades' bluntness. I'd be more ecstatic about my brief return to the 501st if Rex was there. I go to the landing platform and watch a Jedi Consular Cruiser, similar to the one I'd met Splinter on, land. The ramp opens and I walk on. I run into Skywalker and salute, standing at attention.

"At ease. Go meet Dytin. He'll be helping us track down Opress." My heart speeds up a little and I nod. I find who must be Dytin slouched in a seat in a very relaxed, suspiciously out-of-it posture. His hair is messy and brown, shadowing green eyes that pick me apart lazily.

"Skywalker didn't say anything about a kid." He says with an unfamiliar accent.

"He didn't say anything about civvies either." I reply evenly.

"I'm no civvy." He growls, aggression lighting up his eyes.

"Neither am I." This is going to be fun. Rex would probably crack our heads together and remind us to focus on the mission. I sit down across from him.

"What are you, maintenance?" He asks roughly.

"Soldier. And you're a bounty hunter, right?"

"Mercenary. How'd a small thing like you end up in the army?"

"I'll let you know next time we run into a droid." I growl, scowling. Diplomacy: not my strong suit. This guy: likely to not make it out of this ship alive.

"Didn't catch the name, sweetheart." I look at him sharply with hints of disbelief.

"Twitch." I reply curtly.

"That's your real name?"

"It's the only one I use." He chuckles. It makes me want to deck him.

§ § §

Seeing how I've scrubbed my guns and gauntlets until they shine, I have nothing left to do. My hands instinctively grab up the cloth and restart the process again. Dytin sighs in exasperation.

"Do you ever do anything but clean your weapons and armour?" I almost say 'clone habit', but catch myself.

"Yes, but there isn't much to do. It's a pretty common pastime when we don't have any options besides sleeping."

"Sounds boring."

"The battles make up for it."

"Still not convinced you're old enough to fight." He mutters.

"And we also spar when we get really bored." I add angrily.

"Let's do that, then." I take off my gauntlets and put my guns beside them, glad I have long sleeves on. We take up positions and I start my acrobatics. Both for energy exertion and showing off. He goes on the offensive, which is exactly what I want him to do. It's how this type of fighting works.

§ § §

ANAKIN'S P.O.V.

I enter the room to see Twitch and Dytin in a full fledged sparring match. All those who saw this coming... I watch in amusement as the mercenary tries unsuccessfully to tackle the young clone, who hops out of the way at the last second, lightly kicking his exposed side. A scar stretches across her right eye. She'll forget about it soon enough. I would know. Dytin whips around with frustration flaring in his eyes. Rex is a very good actor.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I'm not sure how many points it is later when we stop. My first instinct is to taunt the mercenary, but I just keep my mouth shut as I clip on my gauntlets and re-holster my guns.

Something in his fighting had seemed familiar, but there are a lot of moves that people I've fought know. Chances are he uses them, too. I start when I see Skywalker standing in the doorway, arms crossed. I automatically start stiffening, but he shakes his head. I hear a sound of exasperation from Dytin.

"Are all the people in your army wound this tight, Jedi?" He asks lazily.

"I'll let Twitch explain standard protocol to you." I give him a _HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!_ look as he walks past on his way to the cockpit. I turn and cross my arms, regarding Dytin with undecidedness.

"You think I'm wound tight, try talking to Dogma." I growl before sitting across from him. Eventually, he'll get bored and try talking. I can explain then.

§ § §

DYTIN'S P.O.V.

This kid knows how to mess with me. And her fighting style! If she tells anyone about our match, I'm decking her. And then she piques my curiosity by mentioning Dogma without further explanation. She clearly has a lot of experience with people outside of the military. I just hope she doesn't start suspecting anything...

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

Throughout the ride, I've inserted piece by piece of the dos and don'ts involving military behaviour. I would sleep, but I don't exactly trust him. I settle for leaving.

The Mess is empty, and I feel very alone. I'd take any clone's company right now, even Ticks. I get my food and eat it. Sleep starts dogging me, trying to appeal to my exhaustion.

I'm wedged in a corner, my back pressed against where two walls almost meet. As soon as I finish, I lean my head back against the walls and close my eyes. At least I'll know who to blame if I wake up to anything unpleasant.

§ § §

Dytin either didn't find me or did and used his brain, because I wake up perfectly fine except for a sore neck. I return to the seats and roll my eyes at Dytin. He's passed out with his mouth wide open and snoring.

So many horrible things I could do to him. But, we might be in another situation where we have to sleep under the same roof, so I leave it be.

I use a couple minutes to murmur a daily remembrance in Mando'a for Rex and my brothers. The mercenary stirs, looking at me blearily.

"Say somethin', kid?" He asks.

"Nothing that concerns you." I retort, unhappy that my silence is being disturbed.

"Enlighten me." He says, rolling his eyes.

"Daily remembrance. Like I said; nothing to do with you." I growl.

"You've lost friends?" He grunts, clearly not convinced.

"It's war. People die." A scowl covers my features.

"Well, who'd you lose?" He demands uncaringly. I glare bloody murder at him.

"That's not your business. And if we continue this conversation, somebody out there will be including your name in the remembrance."

"Sheesh, are you on your period or something?" I almost shoot him.

"Shut up now, don't speak unless it's important." I warn with a tone that spells danger. He rolls his eyes again and goes back to sleep. Skywalker enters the room. I give him a venomous look and start scrubbing my guns again. Couldn't we just have brought a clone along?

* * *

_A.N. ~ please review, negative and positive. Next chapter within 48 hours._


	38. Gotcha!

ANAKIN'S P.O.V.

Between Twitch's scowl and the fury emanating from her, I can tell she's fed up with the mercenary. I'd sensed her irritation burst into flaming anger all the way from the cockpit.

No wonder she gave me that look. Rex had thought of acting like a jerk and insensitive slob, and he's clearly doing a good job of it. I hope Twitch can forgive him by the time this is all over. Right now, Dytin even sleeps like a different person.

If inanimate objects could cry, I'm pretty sure Twitch's weapons would be doing so. They've clearly already had the cleaning of a lifetime, but she's scrubbing them again. I motion for us to step outside. In the hallway, her tense shoulders loosen slightly.

"Sir, with all due respect, I may kill Dytin before we even find Opress." I grimace. Her voice is rough, as though it hasn't been used for eons.

"I know it's tough working with him. He's a lot different from the soldiers you're used to dealing with." Giving her the news about Rex and then dumping her with the incognito Captain who's acting like a jerk is cruel irony.

Rex is disguised to root out a few possible moles, though, so he must remain hidden. She nods absently. I sense her mood become melancholy and quiet. I can guess what she's thinking. "I miss Rex too. We'll get Savage for it." A slight flicker of anger burns in her at the mention of Opress. Who can blame the young girl? That monster deserves to die.

"I'm trying not to think about it." She rasps. Her transfer had thrown the Captain off balance, which is no easy feat. It was good to see Rex fight with someone watching his back. He deserves a friend that close.

"Well, I'm going to need your street smarts to track down Opress. We're changing ships on Naboo, then we go from there." She brightens a little at the prospect of taking the lead.

"If we're looking for his location, I have a contact on Naboo. He lives in the bad part of Theed." Um...okay. Now I'm sure it was a good idea to bring her along. Now I just have to be sure she won't kill Rex...

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I slink down the alleyway, treading a well-remembered path to a small hut thrown together by a clearly homeless person. Anakin and Dytin follow. I knock on the frame. A groan comes, then a rough looking man in his early twenties stumbles out. I can smell alcohol on his breath. He looks at me and grins.

"Kid!"

"Plyke. You were at the pub last night, weren't you?"

"Maybe. Who're you're friends?" I look at them from over my shoulder.

"We're looking for a man named Savage Opress. Heard any good rumours about him?" Plyke puts a hand in his hip and tilts his head.

"I don't know. I'm really foggy." I sigh and fish a couple credits out of my holster. His eyes light up. "Ohhh, Savage. Now I remember." I roll my eyes as I hand him the currency. "Yeah. Last I heard, he started a bar fight on Tatooine. Go to the Desert Ice if you want fresher meat." I cock my head and look past Plyke. Two very peeved looking Rodians are advancing.

"You didn't happen to upset anyone last night..." I murmur. The man turns and a nervous expression flashes over his face.

"Uh, lend a guy a hand?"

"Should we be expecting anyone else?" I growl.

"I don't know. I can't remember exactly everything I did last night." The Rodians draw guns.

"Whatever you did, you should try not doing it." I mutter.

"You know I can't think that hard on mornings." He protests.

"Do you ever think?" I grunt as the first shot rings out. I block it and go for my guns.

"Twitch." Skywalker warns. I stun both Rodians quickly.

"Since when do you only stun?" Plyke asks.

"Since I'm not allowed to kill civvies." I reply.

"I'm not even going to ask. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to relocate my shack until people stop trying to kill me." I nod.

"Thanks, Plyke. Word of advice; stop getting too drunk to think." He scowls and looks back at my companions.

"Careful with her. Her tongue is sharper than those fancy blades she fights with." We leave.

"You have the nicest friends." Dytin teases.

"I can bet you have some nice ones." I grumble.

§ § §

The Desert Ice is just what you'd expect of a bar: loud, crowded and hostile if you're an outsider. Skywalker leads the way to the bartender. He turns.

"What can I do ya for?" He asks.

"I hear you've had a few fights on your hands. A big man with horns?" The General says.

"Oh, don't get me started on him. He tore up the entire place! And a few of my customers." I wince. Yep. Savage was here.

"Any idea where he went?" Dytin demands.

"He said something about killing some guy. A senator called... Um... Hmmm." He gropes for a name. I toy with a credit and watch his face. A hungry light enters his eyes. I hand it to him. "Uh, uh, oh yeah. Senator Orn Free Taa." The massive blue Twi'lek senator. I groan and pinch the bridge of my nose. Guard duty. Bite me.

§ § §

"You're sure he won't attack me here?" The Senator frets.

"On Coruscant? No." I reply bluntly. Dytin and I are to remain glued to Taa's side. No wonder the guy is scared. His guards fight each other as much as they do any actual threats.

"Don't worry. Nothing's gonna get past us." Dytin says. I have to give him credit for saying 'us' and not 'me'. Maybe there's hope for him yet.

"And if they do, we'll shoot them in the back." I add. The Senator sighs pitifully and walks to the door. Some boring meeting between the Senate we have to attend. At the repulsorpod, I get on beside Orn.

"I should go, kid." Dytin gripes.

"You can't block blaster fire. Stay here and stay quiet. You're still in danger of being skinned." He presses his lips together angrily and leans against the wall. We take our place and the meeting begins.

It starts out slowly, then snowballs into a huge argument about trying to end the war peacefully with diplomacy. I don't know what to make of this. Senator Amidala is insisting it's possible. Senator Taa exclaims that he will have nothing to do with Separatist scum.

All I know is that you can try, but there is no way to talk down Count Dooku. The voices continue shouting for minutes. Maybe I should have let Dytin come up here instead.

Eventually, a headache springs up and I'm sorely tempted to say my piece. I bite my tongue and pin it between my incisor teeth. Nope. Dytin probably _would_ speak his mind. A loud shot goes off.

I instinctively shove Orn sideways. A red bolt hits his arm. He cries out in pain and terror as he teeters on the edge of the repulsorpod. I pull him back on and draw my guns, pointing at the nearest vent. Taa sits down and whimpers. Ugh. At least Amidala knows how to take care of herself. No more bolts fly. I quickly turn on my comm.

"I need security to lock down the building and search the vents _now_." I say. I see Dytin turn and run to alert the security guards. Everyone is screaming and yelling in panic. I grab the pod's mic and turn it on. I use my most authoritative tone and begin talking. "Everybody remain calm and dock your repulsorpods. The emergency doors are going to close soon, and it will be safer for you in here than scattering around." Only a few Senators seem to hear and heed me. Amidala starts ordering them in similar ways. Eventually, we get everyone in place. My comm is beeping.

"Dytin, I'm surrounded by panicking civvies. What's going on over there?" I growl.

"Opress. We need some backup, if you don't mind!" I look at Taa.

"Stay put and stay calm." I order. He clutches his arm. I go through the door just as it closes. I start running down a hallway in the direction Dytin had gone. We collide and I sit down from the impact.

"He's coming this way and he is _very_ kriffed off." The mercenary grunts. I unsheathe my arm-blades. No acrobatics now, lest I end up cut in half. The Sith barrels towards we. Dytin takes a few shots before I engage.

"Find a Jedi." I yell at him. No argument. Just obedience.

§ § §

I've been barely staying alive for I don't know how long. Dytin better be going quickly. That hopeless feeling like the one I'd felt while sparring with Skywalker sets in. I'm out of my depth level and sinking fast.

"You've improved, child. I admit you are brave." He growls.

"I admit, I didn't expect you to try killing Taa in the Senate building, much less on Coruscant." I retort.

"I'm bold." He says with a vicious light in his eyes.

"And I plan on skinning you for killing Rex." I reply, glaring at him. He sneers.

"Who was Rex? I've killed a lot of people." I refresh my attacks with new vigour, going on the offensive.

"Blue marked armour, Plytunon."

"You got close to a _clone_? That's pretty stupid." He taunts.

"It's kinda stupid to fight me when I'm angry, too. Especially after downgrading my dead friend." I get a cut on his elbow. He looks at it in amazement before roaring with anger. I have to go on the defensive. One little cut and he's angry. Sensitive sleemo.

I duck and see a charred piece of hair lying on the floor. HEY! I glare at him and start stepping up my attacks. I begin shouting a string of insults in my mind, hoping he'll pick it up.

_You thick, idiotic, shabuir. Sleemo, kriffing, fekking—_

The insults get increasingly worse. He may not understand Mando'a, but I'm pretty sure he'll get the memo.

_JETAR MADLE!_ I screech mentally.

He growls and kicks. I block, nearly cutting off his foot if he had been but a second slower.

§ § §

KLAIREN'S P.O.V.

I can sense a torrent of anger just up the hall. It is not from the Sith, though. Skywalker runs next to me. According to Dytin, he left to get us almost an hour ago. Twitch is somehow still alive.

When we round the corner, I see that she is also on the offensive in a duel with Opress. A cut gleams on the monster's arm. Not only has the child held out, she has also injured the Sith and is attacking full force.

"You were right. She can take care of herself." I concede before charging Savage. He has to hold off all three of us now, and another cut appears on his leg. I hadn't even seen Twitch do that. The red lightsaber falls and he raises his hands.

"Fine, you win. This time." He says, glowering.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

Dytin stands beside me as the Jedi cuff and walk away with the Sith. Once they're out of sight, my trembling legs give out and I collapse. The mercenary catches me and we sit down. I'm panting and covered in sweat.

"Okay, that was impressive." He admits.

"I thank you for finding Jedi. And what took so long?" He chuckles.

"You are a little spitfire, aren't you? When security locked down the building, I had to get out. They didn't appreciate that. And then there was the whole matter of finding the Jedi." I nod and lie on my back, still heaving in air.

"Well, good job. Oh, yeah. Taa is probably passed out from that wound by now."

"Come on." He helps me up and we go to the door. Just on time, the lockdown ends. I cut a strip of fabric off the Senator's robe and wrap it around his arm. He comes to and groans.

"Of all the terrible security..." He wails. I'm tempted to be unnecessarily rough as I bind his wound, but do my job and do it quickly.

"Terribly sorry I stopped that bolt from going through your heart. Next time, I won't shove you out of the way." I snap. He mutters something about pain and misery. Like he has any right to complain when people out there are dying to protect him and Coruscant. My expression must be murderous, because Dytin puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Easy, sweetheart. Save those faces for Dooku." I look at him with a halfhearted scowl and help the Senator to his feet. Between the two of us, we get him to a medical room. The droid gets to work and we wait.

§ § §

With Savage in custody, we get to rest. I lay on my bed and wipe my gauntlets with a cloth. I hear a knock.

"Come in." Ghynna opens the door. I stand up and salute.

"At ease." She says. I stand tall, though blood is rushing to my head and I feel dizzy.

"Anything I can help with, General?" I ask.

"Do you miss the 501st?" She asks suddenly. It's so out of place, I stand with my lips parted.

"Uh, um...ma'am?" I reply uncertainly.

"You heard me. Do you?"

"Sometimes." I admit. "It'll smooth out once I adjust." I add quickly.

"What about it do you miss?" She asks. I struggle to remain steady. Complaining isn't on clones' to do list. Ever.

"Everyone I know is there." It sounds like a pretty lame reason out loud.

"Continue."

"I—uh, ma'am, um..." She isn't steady like Fisto or relaxed like Skywalker. I don't feel like I can open up to her. The fact is, I don't know her enough to speak accordingly. She hasn't been near us. I give up trying to put what I want into words and helplessly stand there, emotions roiling around.

§ § §

KLAIREN'S P.O.V.

The confusion and apprehension is coming off Twitch in waves. I can sense she doesn't know what to say and how to say it. A deep sense of loneliness coupled with longing is tumbling around.

She looks embarrassed at her lack of words. Another feeling is blooming; regret. She regrets something and wants it to not be true. Sadness follows. It seems like every emotion that could cause her unhappiness is stepping up, then backing down for the next one. In a minute I can get a good sense of how she feels and what she can't say. Like the soldiers she works with, she is opposed to complaint and is willing to accept her lot.

"You fought well against Opress." The flash of fury at the Sith's name adds to my overall picture of her thoughts.

"Thank you, General." Now I can tell she is tentative about how to proceed.

"How long have you fought with those gauntlets?" Relief at the subject glows.

"About fourteen months." She answers.

"Where did you get them?"

"These ones are new. The old ones...broke about a month ago."

"What are they made of?" I'm curious after seeing them deflect a lightsaber.

"I believe it was phrik." She answers.

"A very rare material." I recall the report Keeli had made, and then the private discussion of details afterwards. He had mentioned how Twitch had verbally sparred with Fives and apparently enjoyed it, but he hadn't made it sound like anything important. I nodded in decision. "I must go. Relax. You've earned it." She salutes with a small, nervous smile and I leave the room.

* * *

_A.N. ~ I'm posting Chapter Thirty Nine ASAP. Please review, positive and negative._


	39. Big Darn Slug

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I stare at Anakin dumbly. I should be ecstatic and jumping for joy. Instead, I say something _really_ intelligent.

"Huh?" He chuckles.

"Come on. Our ship leaves for the Resolute in an hour." I grin and leave the room. We're joined by Dytin. My expression says I don't know what to make of him. We were working well enough together last time we saw each other. I imagine him meeting Fives and Tup. Hopefully, I won't have to play referee. In this case, I don't know if I'd be any good.

§ § §

Once I'm on the Resolute, I beeline for the barracks. I run into Splinter.

"Twitch! Were you retransferred?" I grin.

"And here to stay. How are you?" I'm starting to feel like a gossiping Twi'lek.

"Alive. Fives and Tup went to the Mess if you want to see them. Break anything while you were gone? Fives mentioned a little action, but he wouldn't get into details."

"Oh, a few commando droids. Maybe a ship... Almost Dytin's neck a couple times."

"Dytin?" Splinter looks confused.

"Mercenary. Said he was going to the Mess. Ugh. Gotta play babysitter." I mutter.

"You have fun with that. I've got night shift."

"Have a nice nap." I put my holsters plus guns in a cubby and walk to the Mess Hall. I first notice Dytin because he's so out of place, then I get my food. I zero in on five and teardrop tattoos. They seem to be arguing about something.

They're so engaged that I have to stand behind Tup for a minute before Fives sees me. I smile and watch his face. He doesn't seem to quite understand that I'm here. Tup, seeing his brother's expression, turns and grins.

"The mighty huntress returns." I sit beside him.

"And not likely to leave. Anything blow up recently?"

"Nope. Though, with you back, I'm sure something will." Fives says, starting to look pleased, too. I'll never take our meetings here lightly again. Dytin decides to ruin the moment by relocating himself next to Fives.

"Who're your friends, sweetheart?" He asks lazily. I glare at him as Tup starts chuckling and Fives hides a smirk under his hand.

"Careful," Tup starts while fighting down a laugh, "she _has_ been known to cut out someone's tongue." I don't know wether to like or smack him. On one hand, he's defending me. On the other, he's still laughing.

"Guys, this is Dytin. Dytin, this is Fives and Tup." Maybe they won't start hating each other. Of course, this _is_ Dytin. It's pretty hard not to dislike him.

"Catch a Sith?" Tup asks.

"Opress is now a prisoner of the Republic." A smile tugs at my lips as I say it.

"Wish he was a casualty." Fives says, looking a little glum. Tup and I nod in agreement, slightly saddened.

"Besides the part about being a Sith, what'd he do?" Dytin asks.

"Killed a lot of people." I growl.

"Someone you knew?" He asks boredly. My eyes narrow in warning.

"That's not really your business." I answer curtly.

"I'm just curious. You seem to hate him a lot more than you know him." I open my mouth to snap at him, but just then Fives and Tup swat both of us upside the head.

"Udesii." Fives orders.

"Shoulda nicknamed her spitfire." The mercenary says. I give him a look that is easily translated to 'drop dead'. Great. First time in a month I get to be back on the Resolute, and Dytin has to drive me up the wall. I just hope I can hold off punching him until we aren't in a crowded Mess Hall.

"Wish I could." I mutter. A quick image of me spewing fire on the mercenary plays through my mind.

"I think it's due time you two sparred." Tup says, looking uneasily at my hostile expression and posture.

"Done it." I reply.

"Twitch, if you set the table on fire, you have to put it out." Fives warns. I relax my scowl.

"That, or you're going to wear a hole through it." Dytin adds. I realize my right index finger is tapping and I still it.

"So, how'd the sparring match go?" Fives asks. I smirk, Dytin shifts uncomfortably.

"Foreseeable." Tup mutters.

§ § §

Tatooine. Great. Jabba has some of our men, so we get to go talk with the Hutt. I secure my holsters and double check my blades. An evil grin creeps over my face. Fear me, O Mighty Slug. I catch sight of Splinter out of my eye's corner. He's got to be nervous.

Fives had done the wake up job, but it just isn't the same when it's not Rex. I walk shoulder to shoulder beside Splinter as we go to the hanger and load into a LAAT/i gunship. Only a handful of us are going down. Skywalker, of course. Me, Splinter, Fives, Ahsoka, a couple other troops...and I can see Dytin shambling over.

I look at Anakin sharply and let a storm of disbelief and uncertainty roil through me. His face twitches and he looks at me with mild surprise. I give him an _are you kriffing insane?!_ look.

Dytin is likely to get us killed down there. The Jedi glares a warning. I scowl at the ground. The ship takes off and we descend through the atmosphere, down to a dune a couple miles from the palace.

§ § §

Jabba's guards...didn't feel like having guests. By now, I'm splattered with gore and my blades are coated with blood. We haven't lost anyone yet, seeing how it's easy to shoot down the Gamorrean boars long before they reach us. They don't use guns. Just large axes.

We cover Skywalker and Tano as they cut a hole through the thick door. An axe almost cuts me from head to toe. I sidestep. The blade digs into the ground. I scurry up the shaft and spin kick the guard's head, which snaps to the left, before cutting his exposed jugular. He collapses and I attack my next target.

The door is cut open and we file inside. In the (throne room? Well, it's where Jabba always sits, anyway), we stop. I look over the seven kneeling, bound and gagged clones, their helmets in front of their bent knees.

One of them grins and cheerfully waves before a guard shoves his shoulder.

_WHAT?!_

I stare at his tattoos."Fives, is that who I think it is, or did that hit to my head make me start hallucinating?" The boar that had backhanded me...well, he doesn't have hands to do it anymore.

"Looks like him, but there's no way..." We exchange glances. Jabba angrily growls something and his translator droid speaks.

"The wise and powerful Jabba wishes to know why you have invaded his palace."

"Mighty Jabba, we only came to talk. Your guards attacked us before we could explain." Skywalker says. A sound of recognition emanates from the Hutt Lord's throat.

"The great Jabba asks what it is you wished to speak of."

"We only came to asks for our mens' safe return." Anakin replies steadily. Jabba catches sight of me and roars his displeasure. Uh-oh.

"That youngling has insulted the wonderful Jabba before. He will return your men, but only if she stays behind."

"Not a chance." Skywalker says without hesitation.

"Sir, I'll be fine. Take them and go." I chip in.

"He'll kill you." The Jedi argues.

"He'll kill all of us if I don't." I point out..

"No."

"But sir—"

"We cannot agree to that, Lord Jabba." Boars shuffle excitedly. They start advancing slowly. We're forced to back up until we are next to the captured troops. A strange sound comes from Splinter. I glance at him. He's looking down, frozen in place. Realization crashes down on me.

"Trap!" I yelp, just before the floor disappears from beneath me.

§ § §

I get up and glance at Splinter. He's ghostly pale, looks terrified, and I can see his hand is shaking as he stoops down to grab his fallen helmet. I run to the prisoners and cut their bindings off.

"Hiya, Twitch." One greets. I give him a bewildered look.

"Hardcase, _how_ are you alive? And how'd you end up here?" He places his helmet on his head. I hand him one of my guns.

"Long story. I'll explain once we get out of here." For the first time, I take a really good look at my surroundings. Bones of all sizes make a white jungle. A screech rings out. I see Splinter flinch and jog to his side. I squeeze his arm, face grim.

"Hang in there. We'll get out of this. Are you here?" He nods. "Good. Tips?"

"That thing relies on smell and sound to find its prey. It's hide is extremely tough." He announces loudly. I look at the wall and open up my gun. I begin rewiring it to the same medium I'd used in the Bar and Lounge. Then I see the rancor. It towers sixty feet with wicked claws and a large mouth.

"Scatter!" I shout. We disperse and run. I hide among the bones and continue switching wires. My hands are shaking now, too. A roar sounds. I look up and see the monster's hand bearing down on me.

I make like a startled eopie and dash away. The hand lands just behind me. I trip and lose my gun. It slides into a bone mound. I go after it and fish around desperately. I hear a clone screaming. A crunching cuts him off suddenly. Ugh.

I grab my gun and finish. Next, I run to the wall and fire. A hand taps my shoulder. Anakin and Ahsoka start cutting through. I fix my gun. I see Dytin get snatched. I really hate the guy, but...

I climb the rancor's hind leg and onto it's shoulder. I get to the head and shoot it's eye. The screech that follows leaves my ears ringing. Dytin is dropped, and I slide down the creature's back. We run away.

"Everyone, this way!" Skywalker booms. I'm just about to go through the hole into bright daylight when I look back. Splinter is running, but he trips. He gets up slowly, probably paralyzed by fear. The rancor grabs him. He screams and shoots at it blindly, squirming.

I dash back and once again climb the beast's leg. I cut a place that had seemed too cruel, even for a clone-devouring animal. Of course, things change when that animal tries eating a clone I know and it already terrorized before.

Splinter lands on his back. I grab his arms and backpedal. He's unconscious. Skywalker lifts us up with the Force and throws us outside. The injured trooper lands on top of me. When I try getting up, the sand shifts under my hands and I can't move.

"Agh. How many extra rations have you had?" I grunt before remembering we have an audience. Including the prisoners, there were fifteen of us. Subtract the man we lost to the rancor and that makes fourteen.

I look and see Fives, then Hardcase. I try turning onto my back, but I end up half buried on my side. I wait for everyone else to stop laughing. A couple of the prisoners take pity on me and get him off. I spit out sand and blink. It's really bright out here...

§ § §

Splinter has a haunted air when he walks into the Mess. He must have just gotten out of the sick bay. He joins me.

"How're you holding up?" I murmur.

"Fine. I'm fine." He growls, glowering at a white blob on his fork. My sense of guilt is in overdrive now. He was stuck with that rancor for an hour? I reach across the table and squeeze his wrist before withdrawing my hand quickly. "Sorry. I'll get over it. What about you?" He says in a gentler tone.

"I'm alright. You shouldn't have had to go down there. The General should've had you up here." For a couple seconds, he makes attempts at looking offended, but gives up.

"I'll get over it." He repeats firmly. I leave it alone. This is one if those 'work-out-yourself' things.

§ § §

DYTIN'S P.O.V.

A lot more hostile than I expected. Of course, how was she supposed to act when I push subjects that shouldn't be brought up? At least she got me out of that rancor's hand. I pad down the hall and meet with a couple clones.

"So you said you could get us to the Separatist, mercenary?" One asks.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I run with everyone else. The stone building collapses around us, crushing troops. We get out just as the whole thing comes down, destroying most of our forces. A statue above us groans. We scatter.

I look back and see a clone reaching to me for help. A huge rock lands on him suddenly. My eyes snap open and I gasp. The last few moments of my dream replay and I feel sick. I need to clear my mind. I don't want to fall asleep after that.

I sneak down to the cargo bay and begin practicing. Jump, spin, slash, parry, backflip, duck, sweep, roll back. I repeat the process before moving onto a new combination. Eventually, I get worn out and return to the barracks

§ § §

"You...are...joking, right?" Tup grumbles.

"Wish I was. We got wind of Separatists in the Anikata System, so that's where we're going." Fives replies. I subconsciously rub the spot on my head where I'd been hit last time we were there. Memory loss isn't likely to happen twice...right?

"Hi sweetheart." I close my eyes briefly and reinforce my patience.

"Just so we're all clear, my name is Twitch." I mumble.

"Why's everyone so cross?" He goes on.

"Anikata System. Been there, rather not." I grunt.

"You've seen the snakes?" The mercenary guesses.

"And the gigantic apes." Fives agrees.

"Twitch won't forget any time soon." I glance at Tup.

"Tup, don't give him another reason to drive me up the wall." I mutter.

"We killed one, and it started falling, but when she ran, she tripped. The ape fell on top of her." I search for a Mando'a phrase to tell him to shut up. None are the right moderation between gentle and harsh. I settle for giving him a quick scowl. Dytin is smirking. I can see in his eyes he's about to tease me.

"How can you dodge laser bolts and not a huge ape?" He jibes.

"You're one to talk. Don't make me regret saving your shebs in that rancor pit." I snap. I duck Tup's hand when he tries smacking me again. Dytin isn't so lucky and shakes his head crossly. I guess everyone is getting tired of our squabbling.

"You two definitely need to spar again." Fives glowers.

§ § §

The match went as expected. Dytin is sore and pouting while I'm wishing I'd hit him harder. I'm on my bunk with a datapad, looking at the subtitles as a Rodian teacher speaks.

The virtual classroom has twelve other students who are looking around and whispering to each other, talking with their buddies. Kenobi made me start the schooling a few months ago. The teacher is only a program, but the students are other kids who can't be at an actual school all the time. Mind you, I'm probably the only one in the military.

I get a private message from one of the girls, asking me where I've been for the last while. I've put an effort into hiding why I can't be in normal school, so I reply,

'A family matter came up.' One of my many excuses for missing class. See, it's hard to have daily attendance when you have to fight Separatists on a regular basis.

'Are you skipping? Because that's totally normal', she says.

'No, I'm not skipping! Like I said; family matter', I type, irritated that she can't hear my tone. I quickly read the last several sentences the teacher said and look back to our conversation.

'You have the most absences of the class. You're going to fail if you keep this up', I read.

I switch to my overall chat line and answer a question the teacher has asked me. He'd asked where I was and I relayed the same excuse. Then I go back.

'I'm fine. It's fine. Things are just complicated with my situation', I send and read the teacher's words until I get a reply.

'Family issues don't sound complicated. What've you been up to?' I roll my eyes before remembering she can't see me.

'I don't want to talk about it'.

'Okay, but...' I have to wait until the next message.

'Is your name really Twitch?' Ugh.

'Yeah.'

'If I didn't know better, I'd say you're a clone. I hear they use nicknames a lot', it is so good she can't see my expression.

'I've heard that, too.' I can't think of anything else to say so I send her the message and keep reading. Circulatory Systems 101. Great for my tired and not-so-scientific mind. I endure for a while with no more comments from anyone except the teacher. Then one of the idiotic boys sends me a poem:

'There was a girl named Twitch,

Who's brain seemed to have a glitch.

Her name sounds like a clone's,

Her head's filled with bones,

And so are most of those copies' as well.'

I want to reach through the datapad and strangle him. But, for once, I do the smart, non-violent thing and forward the message to the teacher. The lesson continues as normal, but I can guess that he and the teacher are having a little talk.

I hate handing things over to adults, especially since it makes me look like a whining wimp and tattletale to the other students. I don't like the impression that I can't hold my own.

I hear someone come in and look to see Fives. He and Rex are the only ones I mentioned my schooling to. He regards my expression carefully. I glance back and read the next paragraph left by the teacher and look back.

"How's school?" He asks tentatively.

"Clones and Jedi excluded, boys are huge di'kuts." I growl. He stands on the lower bunk and looks at my screen. My first instinct is to hide it from him, but I let his eyes glide over the text.

"You were right to tell the teacher." He says. I get a message from the boy with a halfhearted, almost certainly not genuine apology.

"Sure." I perk up when we start covering vital points on the body where you shouldn't ever puncture the skin, lest you hit an artery or vein or something. I start memorizing it.

"Oh, great. They think they're saving your life and here...let me guess, you're going to use this for the exact opposite reason why they're telling you." He groans.

"Pretty much, though I'm sure I'll use it for good things too. Namely next time I meet a Separatist who isn't a civvy..." He sighs in exasperation and leaves me to my studies.

* * *

_A.N. ~ if you are a boy and you are not a di'kut, I apologize for Twitch's attitude towards the male gender. As always, please review, negative and positive. Next chapter within 48 hours._

Dytin:_ nice setup you have here, sweetheart._

Me:_ Dytin, not you, too! Go bug someone less dangerous._

Dytin: _how are _you_ more dangerous than anyone else I'm around?_

Me:_ I could make you cease to exist in a few short sentences. _

Twitch:_ please, PLEASE DO IT._

Dytin: _you're in a good mood, huh?_

Me:_ I'm leaving before this becomes bloody murder._


	40. Sittin' In A Tree

We make our way through the jungle carefully. As usual by now, I'm convinced this is a trap. I keep a close watch for trouble. Once again, Dytin is for some reason with us. I don't know why we need him now that Savage is in custody. Why did we need him in the first place?

I watch the ground, trees, air, anywhere something bad might be. It's a good thing I do. Fives is a couple meters ahead of me. I dash to his side and pull him back.

"Watch out. You almost stepped in a trap." He looks down at the mound of grass he almost set his foot in. I can guess he doesn't get it. I grab a stick and shove it down where he'd almost stepped. _SNAP_. Everyone freezes and looks at the metal jaws that have cracked the branch in half.

"How did you see that?" The ARC asks.

"Separatists aren't the only ones who know how to set traps." I reply grimly. Everyone walks cautiously afterwards. Ahsoka and Anakin lead the way to the underground network that should be around here somewhere. We eventually find a hatch. I'm more than suspicious. It can't be this easy. No guards, no opposition?

I think back to our last underground mission. Eh, how about no. I look at Skywalker uneasily. He and Ahsoka begin cutting a way in. I shift from foot to foot. This can't be a good idea, though charging in head first _is_ kinda normal when Skywalker is leading.

I glance at Hardcase. Speaking of head first. I still don't know how he's alive. From what Fives said, there's almost no way he survived. And since he did, where was he after the explosion?

I set aside my train of thought when the Jedi get through. We follow them into the hole, one at a time. When it's my turn, I jump and fall for thirty feet before they catch me with the Force. If we have to make a quick exit...well, it won't be quick. Tup nudges me.

"Working on that escape plan?" He murmurs.

"Ba'slan shev'la." I correct. "And it isn't looking so great." We start moving through the hallways, following our General's senses. He's probably going off of what the Force is telling him, else I have no idea how he knows where to go.

We eventually come into a large room that is virtually empty...except for the three magnaguards and a Sith across from us. My blades instantly slide out and I tense.

"Skywalker. I was expecting you and your Padawan." Dooku says pleasantly. He looks at me. "And Twitch. I was hoping you would come." I desperately want to use my knowledge of the circulatory system right now. "Whatever happened to your Captain?" He taunts. It's all I can do to keep from charging the old man.

"Why don't I show you?" Skywalker asks in a dangerous tone. Ahsoka looks just as ready as I am to kill the Sith.

"It would be wiser for you to surrender." I hear the other troops shifting. No clone has or ever will enjoy that term. It makes me feel dirty just saying the word.

"Not a chance. You should consider it for yourself, though." Tano growls. Dooku activates his lightsaber and the magnaguards prepare their electrostaffs. All at once the Jedi, Sith, and I move. Skywalker engages the Count while me and the Padawan take the droids.

I have to deal with one and she's stuck with two. I find it hard to fight this one. Its staff is tough, and it is a lot better at fighting than anything I've gone up against minus Sith. Imagine a really tough, really large commando droid that is five times more deadly than usual and you pretty much have a magnaguard.

The staff clips my leg and a jolt goes through the limb, making it numb. In close combat, it's very hard to keep up with the droid, even when I'm doing my acrobatics. Dytin does something really stupid and tries getting closer and shooting the droid point blank.

I throw him a _you're the biggest idiot I've ever met_ face just before he's smashed in the chest and knocked back. I resume my attacks and picture Savage's face on the guard's. It starts getting easier the angrier I get, until I manage to cut a hand off.

That doesn't do much to slow down the staff, but I continue working away at it. Finally, I remove the head and topple the droid over. I straighten in triumph. Then the magnaguard stands up again.

"You've got to be kidding." I mutter before dodging the staff. How is it even seeing me? The end smacks into my ribs and I crumple to the floor, dazed and hurt. That is a _very_ strong stun setting. I try getting up, but then I'm kicked in the side. Thankfully, it's numb enough to make the blow hurt half as much as normal.

I land on my left shoulder. This is going to be painful. To my (and the magnaguard's) surprise, Dytin leaps forward and shoves his gun against the droid's chest, shooting several times. An expression I can't name is on his face. I try getting up, but my muscles are still locked from getting shocked. Someone touches my shoulder.

"Anything broken?"

"Just my pride. I can't move..." I feel a sharp pinch on the side of my neck and jerk, snapping my body out of it. I sit up and rub the spot. Fives gives me a hand up. Ahsoka has finished off her droids and is helping her master fight Dooku. I'm tempted to join in, but I have a feeling it would get me killed.

And so, we are all stuck watching nervously and shifting around. My head moves in every which way without me knowing to keep track of the fight. I tense and un-tense every time either side gets the upper hand. Dytin watches with mild admiration. Him as a Jedi. I nearly shudder.

I wish we could help. 'We' being 'me', because anyone else is likely to not survive. I lean against a wall and tiredly watch the back and forth dual. After a while, the three of them seem to finally notice the battle-hungry soldiers waiting to help.

The Count looks from the Jedi to us. He swiftly presses a button and injects himself with something. Suicide? Not likely. I hear a hissing sound and look at the high vents. A reddish-brown vapour is drifting through.

"Fives?" I ask nervously.

"Far as I can tell, sleeping gas." While everyone is distracted, Dooku initiates a well known and used tactic amongst the Separatists: retreat. The sound of over a dozen helmets sealing off goes through the room. We run for the hatch and the Jedi start tag-team-evacuating us.

Skywalker throws troops up, Tano catches and places them safely on the ground. I'm one of the last and starting to feel tired. I barely make it to the top, courtesy of the General being affected as well.

He jumps up, aided by his Padawan. Hopefully, we won't be attacked right now. No one is in very good shape. Skywalker tries calling the gunships that had brought us for a pick up, but we're being jammed. Guess that means we'll be walking.

§ § §

I know I had more nightmares, but I can't quite remember them. I have that weird feeling that it was terrible, but I still want to know what happened. I blink sleepily as I trudge to the Mess. Mornings. Blarg. Inside, I chew and swallow my breakfast unenthusiastically.

The hunt for Dooku is on. Now, if only I had some caf, I'd be much happier. I see Hardcase walk in and wave him over. He joins me and I hold off on the questions while we eat.

I'm dying to know what happened to him, but direct the tapping urge to my foot so he can't see how impatient I am. Soon, I almost want to scream to break the quiet. We finish, but don't get up. What do you say to someone who you thought was dead for months?

"You get along well with Fives." He comments hesitantly. I nod.

"It's hard not to. I don't know if you heard, but Krell's dead." He smiles slightly.

"Yeah, I heard. Wish I'd done it myself."

"Don't we all."

"Morning, sweetheart."

"Dytin! I told you not to—" I cut off when I see it's Fives.

"Dytin's moping. You're stuck with us." He says while sitting next to me.

"I can live with that. What're the penalties for assassinating mercenaries?" Hardcase looks a little put off, but Fives just shrugs.

"I believe that would be prison, unless the mercenary was a Separatist." Oh, I wish.

"Yeah, me in a prison. Tick, tick, boom." I reply.

"You'd make a bomb?" Hardcase asks.

"No. I'm kinda..." I think about the right word.

"Hyperactive." Fives says. He smirks. "She matches you." He looks at Hardcase.

"Wanna bet?" He challenges.

"I know I would." Tup joins us. "Now, what are we betting on?"

"Who's more hyperactive." Fives replies. Tup jabs his thumb at me.

"Good luck. She's called Twitch for a reason."

"If you've got time, we could spar." I offer to the energetic soldier.

§ § §

"A little help here?" Hardcase gasps. I've taken to practicing my acrobatics every time I spar. Fives shrugs and joins his brother in the attempt to take me down. I use them against each other by getting them to collide and confuse each other.

We break apart after five minutes. I'm getting tired, but hopefully, they don't know that. I raise my arms to the ready, and they raise theirs. No one wants to admit defeat. But, after a couple more rounds, we simultaneously sit down on a group of crates.

"Where'd you learn all that?" Hardcase grunts.

"I'm widely self-taught." I mumble.

"Now, if we could all do that, this war would be over." He jokes.

"Depends on how many gauntlets you had. Unless blades pop out of your skin?" I point out.

"Uh, yeah. Good point. Where'd you get them?" I look at my weapons with a hint of fondness.

"Fives and a few of the others. Saved my shebs too many times to count." Fives opens his mouth with an expression that he's going to add on that 'getting' part with a little more history. I shoot him a momentary warning look. I'm tired of people nosing around my past. He talks, but on a better subject.

"Us saving you. Isn't that only the third time yet?"

"Um, the Trandoshan incident I remember. What was the second time?"

"When the giant ape fell on top of you." My cheeks heat up and I punch his arm.

"Yeah, because you and the others suddenly learned how to us the Force. That was General Fisto." I mutter.

"Alright, then the second time on Umbara. You know, the angry plant that almost ate you?"

"And you went kamikaze and let it grab you just to toss a grenade in its mouth? Yeah, I guess that one counts. And it's called a vixus, in case you were wondering."

"Umbara again?" Hardcase groans.

"Oh, don't worry. That time was under General Skywalker. We just had to root out a few rebels." I assure him. Fives pokes me.

"And steal their rocket launchers?" I shrug innocently.

"Oh, maybe. And, y'know, falling out of a tree."

"Oh, so you'll admit to that and not the ape?" He challenges.

"The tree was when the Umbaran I'd killed took me down with him. The ape was—" I catch myself. "Yeah, nice try." I growl. Hardcase starts humming something. It takes me a few moments to realize its the K-I-S-S-I-N-G song. My expression becomes dangerous.

"Where'd you even _learn_ that song?!" I growl. He winks at me.

"You're not the only one with street-creds now." Fives looks completely lost.

"What?" He demands. After Hardcase repeats the song, I realize for the first time that my brothers actually have decent singing voices, which is a strange thing to think when I'm almost ready to sock one.

"Hardcase, you're one repetition away from physical injury." I warn. He goes as far as half the song before cutting off. I glower at him.

"What?!" Fives finally yelps.

"Hardcase can explain the lyrics." I say helpfully, then smile sweetly at the now nervous trooper. "Isn't that right?" His face gets progressively redder as he mutters the words to his brother. Fives instantly inches away from me and starts glaring as well. "Okay, A, I can't imagine what circumstances led you to hear that. B, I'm only a kid and not interested in a love life, and C, I'm about three years older than him." I jab my thumb at the ARC.

"Hey! I'm twenty two!" He protests.

"And you're ten in regular years, which puts me three ahead." I shoot back. Hardcase starts humming again and we both fix him in golden-and-brown scowls. He wisely shuts up. I suddenly remember something.

"Fek! What's the time?" He looks at me with surprise.

"Um..." He pops his helmet on, then takes it off.

"Oh nine hundred thirty." He says.

"Crap, I've got to go. Sorry, guys."

"What're you late for?" Hardcase calls at my back.

"Boredom!" I reply.

§ § §

Classes weren't joyful. I was bored to death during math period and ready to shoot myself by social studies. I hear footsteps, but I'm too busy toggling between my conversations with a couple students and reading the teacher's dialogue to look.

"Haven't seen you since Umbara." I glance quickly and take a second look. The unmistakable 'V' tattoo and close cropped hair confirms his identity. I'd never spoken to him before, though I know he has some brains now.

"Dogma." I greet evenly. "Been a while." I decide to put school on a hold. "I'm still jealous you got to shoot Krell." He smirks.

"Wasn't rapture at the time, but now I'm glad I got to pull the trigger. You're not eating lunch?" Social studies can wait.

"It's something I prefer to not miss. Heading to the Mess?" He nods. I can't really harbour any ill will against him, because following orders was what the Kaminoans hammered into his head since he could toddle. I hop down and walk with him.

"You've grown." He comments uncomfortably. I would say the same about him, except it wouldn't be true. Like every clone, he only grows to six feet. He's hit his maximum height.

"Erm…thanks." Because really, what do you say to a near-stranger after a comment like that? He rubs the back of his neck.

"Kid, I've seen you talking with Fives in the Mess. I get it if you hate me for nearly executing him." Well, extra bravery points to him for that one.

"I don't hate you. You you followed orders the way you were trained to, and Krell used that against you. He was manipulating you, and he even pulled it off with Rex."

"He didn't seem to fool you." Dogma mutters forlornly. I give him a grim smile.

"That's because I'm a born rebel. I tend to see the worst in people I don't like." We walk into the Mess and I spot Dytin. "Speaking of people I hate…" I murmur. We get our food and sit down.

"Who's he?"

"A mercenary who we really don't need." I growl.

"You'd question Skywalker's judgement?" He asks wearily.

"Dogma, I question _everyone's_ judgement before obeying or resisting them. Probably why I'm with the 501st."

"Because you're as reckless as the General?" He asks before a horrified look crosses his face. I chuckle.

"There's hope for you yet. And that's exactly why." He becomes red with embarrassment, and I don't exactly help, seeing how I'm struggling to not burst out laughing.

§ § §

DOGMA'S P.O.V.

I can't believe I called the General reckless. It is not my place to ever label a Jedi.

"New friend, sweetheart?" I see all the laughter and merriness drain from the kid's face as the mercenary sits down next to her. Her eyes become dangerous.

"Dytin, call me that one more time and so help me…" Her voice trembles with anger. I get the feeling she's talked with Dytin before and on multiple occasions.

"Well, I can't call you Twitch, or else I'd forget you aren't a clone." I almost expect her to take a swing at him, and the clone comment kind of does sting for me.

"Dytin, go back to your table before I kill you." She says with calmness that doesn't match her expression.

"I'd like to see you try." He scoffs. Without looking, Twitch knocks his head up with lightning speed before pressing her arm against his neck.

"Go away, Dytin. You're lucky this is the Mess Hall." I get the feeling this isn't just big talk. I remember that she has blades in those gauntlets.

"Both of you, stop. Fighting each other isn't productive...or allowed." I order. Twitch seems to be reasonable, though furious as she lowers her arm. Dytin rolls his eyes.

"Whatever." He mutters before wandering back to his table.

"I'm starting to wish I hadn't stopped that rancor from eating him." She mumbles. I'll just pretend I know what she's talking about.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I'm going to kill Dytin. Scratch that. I'm going to seriously maim and then feed him to a rancor. My blood is still boiling by the time we finish school. Of all the shabuirs out there, Skywalker had to pick the worst one he could find. Why do we even need him? He's no better than any clone I've seen fighting.

Switching him for Rex is a poor exchange that I would gladly reverse without losing sleep. I stalk down to the cargo bay and practice combat moves until I'm sure it's time for dinner. When I get to the Mess, I find that it's actually the last call for food.

I get mine and eat in a corner alone before going to the bunks and finishing some homework. By now, it's due time for everyone to get some sleep and I curl up, tired.

* * *

_A.N. ~ on that happy note of death and murder, please review, negative and positive. Next chapter within 48 hours, probably sooner rather than later._

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS: **

**Ba'slan Shev'la: [BAH-slan SHAYV-lah] strategic disappearance**


	41. Into The Darkness

I pull Dytin back and wordlessly point out the thin wire. The other troops start stepping over it.

"Thanks, sweetheart. I knew you cared." The Mercenary teases.

"I only stopped you so you wouldn't flatten some of our men." I reply coldly while he looks and sees the boulder he'd almost set in motion. I'm basically the trap sweeper. Since Skywalker says I've got a knack for it, I'm up front with him and his Padawan...and Dytin for reasons I still can't imagine.

The General slightly turns his head to glance at me before looking straight ahead. I watch the ground and other places for dangers. Dooku must be close if there are this many traps.

I spot a log with spikes sticking out of it waiting to swing at us. I climb the tree it's tethered to and cut the rope holding it up. Later, more steel traps like the one that almost got Fives become our biggest hassle. I'm setting off as many as possible. Skywalker raises an eyebrow at me after my eighth.

"They may be monitoring what goes off. The more we trip, the less opposition they might send our way." He nods in understanding, a smile tugging his lips. I see Tup freeze, looking down. I walk over and see that he's standing in a trap, foot still on the trigger. I press my foot on top of his.

"Don't lift it. Just hang on..." I press my forearms together and place them next to his foot inside the jaws. "Okay, now lift." He does as instructed and the metal snaps closed. It would have cut his leg open if my gauntlets weren't blocking the sharp edges.

Now that his leg is safe, I activate the blades and slice my arms free. We take a moment to sigh in relief before moving on. Through the course of half an hour, I repeat the process several times and point out multiple other dangers. By the time we stop for a break, I'm sure Dooku thinks most of us are dead or injured by now. Just our advantage.

§ § §

Apparently, we hadn't fooled anybody. Unless Dooku thought he'd need to send a platoon of droids to capture the 'few survivors and injured'. We've had no casualties or injuries. Or we didn't, until the group of droids came after us.

I'm fighting out of formation, disappearing into the jungle, flanking the droids, then slipping out of sight just to hit them from another angle. They're apparently getting sick of my mischief, because a group of them chase after me.

I lead them a ways from everyone else and finish them off with my arm-blades. I kill the last one and take a step back to examine me work and take a breath. Unfortunately, my step back drops me into a pit. Luckily, there are no spikes at the bottom. Problem: the walls have no handholds for me to get myself out with. I stand again, put my hands on my hips, and sigh. I am _not_ radioing for help. Unnecessary, I'd say. After all, I just have to cut a few grooves and—

§ § §

I groan and sit up. Ouch. I look at the ripped part of the wall. Just beneath a thin layer of dirt is electrical mesh. High tech. Effective. Unless I want to get zapped unconscious again, I better find a new way out of here. Before droids or—heaven forbid—Dytin finds me. Judging by the light, I've only been out for a few minutes. My comm starts beeping. Aw, kriff.

"Twitch, are you alright? Fight's over. You can come out now." Skywalker says once I turn it on. I'm going to die of embarrassment.

"I'm fine, sir. Just a little held up."

"Care to elaborate on that?" He growls.

_Shoot me._

"Held up as in I'm in a pit with electrified walls." I look up at the sound of a shot and block the droid's bolt.

_ I didn't mean it! _

"And being shot at by a droid." I add. By now, I wouldn't really mind if the thing actually managed to kill me. A lot less embarrassing than being rescued. I duck a bolt and return fire.

The B1 retreats until I stop, then leans to try again. Another droid joins it. There isn't much room to dodge, and I can't keep blocking forever, which is why I'm relieved when a few swings of a blue lightsaber finishes off my attackers. Skywalker looks down and I wave cheerfully.

"I don't know how you got into this." He says before lifting me out with the Force. Once I'm on stable ground, he looks at me expectantly.

"I was fighting a few droids and didn't see it." I reply sheepishly. He sighs with either amusement or exasperation or both before leading the way back.

§ § §

New planet to check out. No signs of Dooku on the last planet, so now it's this one. I've seen enough of the Anikata System to last me a lifetime. As we descend, I expect more thick jungle. Instead, we step out onto glittering black rock that makes up the ground as far as the eye can see.

To add to it all, blinding rain whips down on us without mercy. I shiver and watch the LAAT/i gunship fly off, leaving us to be soaked through. It's freezing out here, and I get the feeling the clones' armour will only shield them for so long.

We start towards the possible hideout Dooku might be at. Our best guess why he hasn't just ran back to Separatist is that he has no fuel. So, it's us against him.

The chilling wind tosses my ponytailed hair into my face, the rain drips into my eyes, and soon I can't see a thing. It's a feat for me to just see the trooper I'm next to.

"Get into a line! Keep an eye on the soldier in front of you." Skywalker yells over the storm. I end up near the end, stumbling forward and finding it difficult to walk in a straight line because the wind is strong.

It picks up progressively until it feels like nails are being driven into my face as the rain flies down. My body is shivering and my teeth are clicking together, and I can guess everyone else is in the same condition. I think about how scantily dressed Ahsoka had been. She is not having a fun time.

The wind suddenly kicks up a notch or twelve and I'm flung off my feet. I pick myself up and see everyone else is starting to lose their footing on the slippery rocks, too. Another invisible blast rolls me away and I tumble aimlessly.

My hands scrape against a ledge and I cling on for dear life. Fear is prickling through me at the fierce weather. I beat the emotion back, but I'm torn from my ledge and curl into a ball, protecting my head with my arms. I close my eyes and shiver, helpless against nature's torrent.

The storm goes on for a time I can't reliably estimate, though it felt like hours. I finally stop spinning around and lay still. After another five minutes of checking myself over, I tentatively, ever so carefully stand up. Plenty of scrapes and bruises, but nothing to keep me down.

Now the matter of finding everyone else. I look around in the moderate rain. At least I can see now. Except that I can't see our men, or can't until I climb a ridge the wind had somehow gotten me over.

Below, I can see a valley filled with white-clad men who are in the process of checking themselves and their equipment over. Skywalker is walking over from somewhere farther along the gorge, and I can see Tano on a different ridge, clearly blown farther away than most, like me. We are, after all, the smallest members of the group.

I'm almost disappointed to see Dytin is still with us. Okay, okay, I'm completely disappointed. I trudge down, slightly limping from a gash on my calf where a jagged piece of rock had caught me. A medic jogs over to the Padawan. She shakes her head and nods to me. I'm just to the bottom when the medic reaches me.

"Anything broken?" He asks.

"No. Nothing serious." I blow a bit of water out of my eyes. It's still freezing, and now that I can see, it's obvious everyone's bodies are shaking. Once we rejoin everyone, the medic sits me down and, despite my protests, begins checking over my leg.

He's in the process of contemplating wether or not I need bandages. I stand up and a bit of watery blood slips down my leg. The rain rinses it away. A dull throbbing begins. The medic settles for injecting me with something. I resist the urge to jerk away, though my expression probably covers that for me.

"Is everyone alright?" Skywalker calls. There are muttered okay's and nods. No one complains. Complaining isn't how we work.

§ § §

Going into more caves naturally makes me nervous. We haven't had much luck inside closed or underground spaces. And there's the whole part where I can't see anything.

I run smack dab in the middle of a wall and hop back. I collide with a trooper and he backs off, grumbling with indignation. I mutter an apology and we line up again, me staying in the back since I have zero visibility.

Dytin is just ahead of me. I can't help but think this is a perfect place for Dooku to ambush us. I feel a tap on my shoulder and start to draw my guns.

"Just me, Twitch." A clone whispers. I try to make him out, but it's pitch black this deep. I give him a 'who' look. "Fives." He clarifies.

"What's up?" I murmur.

"You have that _we're in trouble_ look."

"There's a look?"

"Every time."

"Well, it's an accurate one. Think about it. This is an enclosed space too deep for us to see anything without night-vision or call for back up if there are wounded." I realize this probably isn't helping his claustrophobia. "How're you holding up?"

"You're paranoid, sweetheart." Dytin comments.

"Go walk into a wall and get head trauma." I growl.

"I—I'm fine." Fives replies, though a few minutes later, I feel his hand clutching my shoulder. I reach around with my left hand and give his wrist a squeeze. Every now and then, he quickly moves his hand, probably when someone looks back.

I reach behind me with my right hand and we hold on to each other as we walk. My ears pop with the pressure and I'm sure we've got hundreds of tons of rocks over our heads. For Fives' sake, I pretend to look nervous in case someone sees our linked hands. Better they think I'm scared than him.

Soon, though, I don't even need to pretend, because I'm jumping at every little sound and looking around desperately to see what's where. I wish we could use our headlamps so we could see, but that's practically saying 'I'm here, come kill me'. I grip Fives' hand a little more firmly.

§ § §

We've taken two breaks and traveled so far underground I have no idea what time of day it is. I just know I'm tired and hungry. We finally stop to sleep. I bunk next to Fives and Hardcase.

Sentries sit at either end of the group with a Jedi, combining night-vision with the Force. It's difficult to sleep when I'm so on edge and still damp. Not to mention the hard, cold stone we have to lie on. I sigh quietly and accept that this isn't going to be a great forty eight hours.

§ § §

I have the best wake up calls. When it's not Rex or another clone, it's someone trying to capture or kill me. That, or I'll wake up in an escape pod that's filling with water with memory loss. This time, I get to end up hearing lightsabers.

The second two collide, I wake up and crouch, drawing my guns. Red and blue blades lock, followed by two green ones joining the mix. The sudden light blinds me. I raise my arm and block it, hissing at the brightness.

"Fives, I can't see anything. Who's winning?" I growl.

"Hard to tell. Define winning."

"Not dead and still fighting."

"Tie." He answers. My eyes slowly adjust until I can finally look directly at the fight. Hate and malice are burning in Dooku's eyes, countered by the Jedi's determination and concentration.

I really want to join the fight, but that would make it harder for everybody. Hardcase is fidgeting as much as I am. This time, the battle goes on without any sign of ending. After fifteen minutes, I knock my head against my forearm a few times.

"I can't take this anymore! I've gotta do something!" I mutter. I'm coiled like a spring, waiting for a good opportunity to jump in. Fives and Tup suddenly get strong grips on my arms, as if they know what I'm thinking. I want to struggle against them, but that would probably cause more havoc. I relax until they let me go, but I still want to help. Dytin is nonchalantly cleaning his gun. I start thinking about a plan. I find Fives again.

"We should get men in place in case he runs again." I murmur. He nods in agreement and begins dividing us into groups. I'm stationed with men farther down, where it gets deeper. Fives and half the others stand opposite to us.

Finally, Dooku starts running. He heads towards Fives, but Skywalker joins the clones. The Sith comes my way, but Ahsoka joins me and I unsheathe my blades. The Count deactivates his lightsaber and leaps over our heads, running deeper into the tunnels.

I take off after him immediately, followed, then passed by the Jedi. Everyone is thundering after us. Then I think things through. If I were in Dooku's situation...

I slow down to a trot and then stop completely. I can't see, but I can hear. A quieter set of footsteps are just behind me. I fire a shot back the way we'd come. In the brief light, I see a figure fleeing us. I take off after him while getting my comm on.

"General, you're going the wrong way! Dooku is heading for the surface." I grunt. I fire another shot ahead of me and turn to the right sharply to avoid hitting a wall.

"We're on our way. Be careful." He orders.

"Yes, sir." I keep running, occasionally firing shots and slowing just to be sure Dooku isn't trying to trick me like when I was with the group. The activation of a red blade blinds me and I jump back, shooting several times before shying away again, trying to adjust my eyes.

I did not think this through. Sure, I can fight a Sith for a short while, but this _is_ Dooku. He's a lot more dangerous than any other adversary I've dealt with. The Force tightens around my neck.

My hands involuntarily let go of my guns and I claw at my throat. I'm smacked against the wall, then flung against the other one. My head cracks against stone and I black out.

§ § §

I blearily open my eyes to...more black. I choke back a groan and sit up, which gets the noise out regardless of what my foggy mind wants or not. Now that I'm somewhat up, I see that it isn't actually pitch black. My head was simply lying on my left cheek so all I could see was the stone.

We're at the entrance to the caves, just far enough in to avoid the rain. I can at least see again, though I have a killer headache and everything hurts when I move.

"Welcome back, kid." I look up. The medic is sitting next to me.

"Can't say I like being awake. Did we catch Dooku?" He shakes his head. I prop myself on my elbows and hang my head back in disappointment before looking around again.

Mostly, the men are resting or cleaning their equipment. Skywalker and Ahsoka are talking in a corner. Dytin is snoring away from the main group. I stagger to my feet, but the medic rises with me and firmly sits me back down.

I honestly can't say I could've stayed up for long if he'd let me. That, of course, doesn't stop me from giving him an irritated, momentary scowl. "How long was I out?" I ask.

"'Bout twelve hours. You took quite a beating."

"Dooku wasn't in the mood to play." He was more concentrated on getting away from the two Jedi and pack of clones. I guess I'm lucky he hadn't just killed me. But then, he probably let me live intentionally. I mean, he hasn't finished all his 'tests' yet, and I'm sure there's some dark reason he wants me alive.

With that unsettling thought, I lean against the wall. I hate it when I have time to think. Thinking leads to bad memories. So, I concentrate on the fight with Dooku. Chasing after him alone probably wasn't my brightest idea. Leaving out the facts that he can use the Force and shoot lightning out of his fingertips, he could still merely turn on his weapon and blind me.

I do a quick head count. Fives, Tup, Splinter, Hardcase, and Dogma are all here. I catch myself looking for Rex and remind myself with difficulty that he's gone.

§ § §

We go back to the Resolute to replenish our supplies and give everyone a break before continuing our hunt for Dooku. He has no way off the planet, so we can afford a few hours' rest.

I was ordered a check-up at the medical bay by the medic, but I've made my escape. We have time for one meal and a short nap before going after the Count again. By 'made my escape', I mean 'left without the droid's knowledge', when he was planning to do a full X-Ray of my body.

My guess is he's sent someone after me, so I dart into the Mess Hall and get my food before taking cover in the back corner behind a crowded table of our men. The door opens and I catch a glimpse of an irritated clone medic looking around. I kind of feel guilty that he has to run around after me, but I've only got so much time to eat and sleep before going off again. I stay low, and just as I think the medic will leave—

"Hiding from someone, sweetheart?" Dytin asks loudly. The medic locks on to my corner and walks over.

"Is your brain even attached to your mouth?" I growl back as the medic looks at me with crossed arms and a stern expression. I look forlornly at my food. Some days, I have to marvel at how I don't kill the mercenary.

§ § §

Surprise, surprise; I didn't have any breaks or fractures. I'm pretty sure I'd have felt them if I did, and even if they were there, what difference would it have made if I couldn't feel it?

I shake my head as more rain starts dripping into my eyes. I'm starting to hate this planet. It doesn't seem to have gotten the memo that there are other weather patterns besides rainy. I'm ready to catch Dooku, and I wish I had the capability to get even with him. I trek in the back beside Dogma and Hardcase, scowling in concentration.

"We'll get him this time." Hardcase reassures me, either reading my expression or just deciding to say it.

"If we don't, I'm borrowing you're Z-6 and—"

"And what?" Dogma interrupts with a mix of sternness and disappointment. "Kill him? Against protocol, not to mention nearly impossible for us. Gotta be a Jedi to pull _that_ off."

"And yet that fact has never stopped me from trying. Don't think I'm going to be court marshalled for killing a Sith, either." I mutter.

"Don't get cocky about what High Command will or won't marshal for." Dogma warns. I bite back a comment about his own court marshal and keep walking. I wipe water out of my eyes and flick it at the uptight soldier.

"Honestly, if an execution was the punishment, I'd still kill Dooku." I retort.

"You really hate Sith." Hardcase comments.

"What Republican doesn't?" I demand with exasperation.

"Traitors." He replies.

"That usually means they aren't Republican anymore." I point out

"How right you are." The voice makes a prickle of fear tingle down my spine. Hardcase is lifted up and starts rushing towards a tall figure. I jump between them and block the Count's lightsaber.

"Force-dragging. Cheater." I mutter.

"My apprentice proved it very effective against your Captain."

"Hey, Hardcase. Mind shooting him while I still have his lightsaber occupied?" I grunt, arms trembling under the strain. For an old man, the Sith is strong. I hear a thud behind me, probably the trooper being dropped on his head.

I sigh, still locked in the same position. "New plan. Someone get a KRIFFING JEDI OVER HERE!" I snap. Dooku raises a hand to stop Dogma and I spare one arm to shoot at him. He loses his concentration and I lose my strength in my right arm. I duck back to avoid the blade, which nicks my upper bicep. Good thing my gauntlets go up that high.

"Duck!" Skywalker orders.

"Quack?" I joke as I spin out of the way.

"Smack." Dogma adds before applying the action to the back of my head.

"What?" I scoff.

"One, you don't call a Jedi 'kriffing'. Two, quack? Really?"

"Is there a three? Because I'm considering smacking you if you don't come up with a better reason than that."

"I'm sure I'll find one soon enough." I nod.

"You probably will."

* * *

_A.N. ~ the next chapter has more of Dogma in it. It will be up within 48 hours, and please review, positive and negative._


	42. A New Lead

_A.N. ~ mature(ish) content ahead. If you are not ready for prostitutes and hookers, do not read the alleyway section._

* * *

Rex, Fives, Tup, Dogma, Hardcase, and Splinter laugh as I stalk through the dark building. My gauntlets are missing. Dooku leaps out, passing me like I'm nothing but a hologram. He attacks my friends and I can't do anything but watch.

Everything blurs together and I find myself shooting on Plytunon. I don't know how I know, but I do. Rex is beside me. Opress appears and beheads the Captain right before my eyes. Suddenly, I'm back on the commandeered pirate ship with Fives.

He's back in his delirium and running a fever. I sit next to him as he dies. I strangely feel no emotional distress as I watch every brother I've ever known paraded in front of me and killed.

Fives is buried in a cave in. Splinter is ripped apart by a rancor, Tup is killed by the execution squad back on Umbara. Hardcase is swallowed by a fiery explosion, Rookie is crushed by a boulder, and Dogma is shot during battle.

My eyes snap open. I'm in a medical bay. Rex is standing over me, next to Fives and Tup. Kix walks over with a needle. He injects a small amount of clear liquid into all of us. My brothers fall to the floor and convulse, screaming. A burning pain consumes my body and I screech.

Over and over again, I see my brothers being killed. Finally, I find myself in a Mess Hall. All of the brothers I know at least moderately well; Rex, Fives, Tup, Splinter, Hardcase, Dogma, Kix, Jesse, and Rookie, are all standing over me.

"Accept you? You're a whining kid. A pathetic little girl. We don't even want you in the same solar system." Rex sneers. That manages to hit home, even with my deadened emotions.

"Why would I ever care about you? You almost got me killed on Florrum." Fives snaps.

"And you abandoned me to die on Tatooine." Splinter adds, disappointment burning in his eyes.

Kix grabs my arm and the gauntlet melts away, as does my sleeve. They see my scars and shake their heads.

"And you're slow enough to get scars. See our points?" Rex asks.

I wake up again, and this time I know it's for real, because the full force of my stress and grief over what I just went through crashes down on me. I'm lying in a bed in a medical bay.

My throat feels raw. Probably from screaming. Fives steps into my field of view, followed by Rex. This can't be real. Rex is dead. Then I do something that any self-respecting soldier would do after witnessing her greatest fears. I break down and and cry like a baby. Fives sits me up and wraps me in a hug. My body trembles.

"You were having some pretty nasty hallucinations." He says after I've calmed down a bit.

"I'm still hallucinating though, right?" I choke out, staring at a worried Rex. He regains his composure and shakes his head.

"I'm alive, Twitch. I was posing as Dytin to root out some traitors." The relief of his survival starts me crying even harder. I suddenly remember the planet and Dooku. The place where a dark red spider had bitten me.

"And that's why I hate spiders so much." I grunt, wiping my eyes and sniffing. Fives abruptly stops holding me when he hears the steadiness that has returned to my voice.

"Shouldn't have teased you on Krovell. Sorry." The ARC murmurs.

"It's fine. I guess being afraid of spiders is something worth laughing at." He shakes his head.

"Not those kinds. They're pretty bad." By now my face is dry, though probably blotchy. Rex's explanation suddenly sinks in and I glare at him.

"If you ever call me sweetheart again..." I warn, though not too much anger is backing up my tone.

"Never." He promises.

"Dytin was Rex's opposite. Everyone knows Rex would never act like him, so it was a pretty good disguise inside and out." Fives explains.

"Had me fooled. And ready to kill you most of the time." Now everything clicks. And I can identify that expression Dytin'd had when that magnaguard was about to kill me. Protectiveness was so out of the mercenary's personality that I couldn't even call it when I saw it.

"I'm glad you didn't." The Captain comments. Something else dawns on me.

"Wait, who were the traitors?" I rasp.

"A couple of shinies." Rex replies. Clones shouldn't side with Separatists. I know it's obvious, but it isn't natural, either. Leaving the Republic for normal lives is one thing, but I don't understand how any of them could think the ones who kill us are the ones to run to.

"What about Dooku?" I ask.

"In our custody." Fives answers. At least _something_ went right.

§ § §

It's still a mild shock to see Rex instead of Dytin in the Mess Hall, or bump into him in corridors. I stare at my datapad blankly. I'm having one of those days where I can't grasp anything. Whatever I read just slides off.

'Where were you?' The same girl as last time asks.

'Had a bit of an accident.' I reply.

'You okay?' She checks.

'I'm fine. What'd I miss?'

'Message the teacher. He'll send you an essay on the lessons you missed.'

"Shoot me." I mutter before remembering she can't hear me.

'Thanks,' I quickly check her profile, 'Kara.'

'No problem. I heard about the message Darys sent you. Don't worry about it. Boys always tease girls they like.' At this I'm completely dumbfounded and confused.

'Why? Don't they realize that only makes the girls hate them?'

'Who knows?' Then I realize she had said something more disturbing.

'Wait, LIKE?!' I send, completely surprised. I've never had a boy like me before, and I don't think I want to start now.

'Heh, yeah. You make it sound like the worst thing possible.'

'It _is_.' I point out. Having to babysit a boy all the time. I had enough of that responsibility with Dytin to last me a lifetime.

'You've got to be kidding me. Having a boy like you is the best part of your life!' Kara shoots back. I have no way of understanding her. She's clearly never had her 'dead' brother 'brought back to life' or spent a while just talking and joking with her family. Sappy, I know, but there are different things people find meaning in.

'Keep telling yourself that.' I tell her.

'Like you've got anything better?' She challenges. Not anything I can tell her without getting into details about my life.

'Plenty, but most of it is personal.' I send.

'Ha! So you _do_ have a boyfriend!' I have no idea where she got _that_ idea from.

'Um...no. Look, do I poke into your life? Just drop it.' I snap.

'Okay, okay. Grief, you're touchy.'

'Happens when I'm pushed.' I say.

§ § §

Things aren't completely normal. No one says it, but the Dytin episode has changed something. Eating together is quieter, and we don't banter so much. I've noticed a change in myself as well. I've become more silent, restrained.

My usual spirit is in what I guess is a hibernation. It's been replaced by a quiet and secluded person who rarely talks unless necessary and usually seeks solitude.

We are attacked by Separatists just as we near Republic space. I beeline for Dooku's cell. I find a pair of commandos trying to kill the guards and free the Sith. I attack from behind and kill them both.

The clones raise their guns into ready positions and I prepare myself for a likely drawn out battle. Naturally, most of the droids gravitate towards us. One of the guards is shot down. We have no cover, so I myself become the remaining trooper's protection, seeing how I can keep him alive.

"Captain, we need back-up at Dooku's cell." I manage to say through my comm.

"On our way. Hang in there." Rex replies. The remaining clone is shot and I freely attack the droids' ranks, spinning around them so many are taken by friendly fire.

A group of clones and Skywalker blindside the droids, making it a lot easier to decimate the remaining opposition. More waves come along with varying types of droids. By the end of the attack, we have lost over half of our group, all of us are exhausted, and most of us are injured.

Skywalker is unharmed, I only have bruises from when one of my maneuvers went badly and I landed on my back, then the other clones have assortments of wounds going from scrapes to holes in their bodies. Rex has merely the former. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he's back and alive, but I won't pretend to know why he didn't tell me.

§ § §

The second attack comes a little farther into Republic space, which surprises me. Especially since I'm asleep when it happens. More so when the jolt rolls me out of bed. I land on my side and grunt.

This is what happens when my first instinct is to roll away from the sound that wakes me. I stagger to my feet and hurry to my cubby, clipping on my guns. A hand on my shoulder swings me around. Rex is fastening on his chest-plate.

"Get to Dooku's cell, hold out as long as you can. We'll be there as soon as possible." I nod and sprint for the Count. A few clones who were nearby and armed are already in position.

This time, I drag a few crates full of something into place for cover. Dooku, chained against the wall behind a ray shield, watches us silently. Next, I perch on a ledge over the door. No sooner do we finish preparing than the first droids file into the room. I wait until all of them are in before shooting from behind.

It takes them a minute to figure out where I am, and when they do, I jump on top of a B2 and take a few shots before jumping to the next droid. When I run out of the large ones, I cut the B1s into pieces.

I feel bad for maintenance. A shot hits the back of my arm and I whirl around. More droids are coming this way. At an intersection down the hallway, Rex and his men flank them.

I join the fight again and acrobatically dismantle the droids who are unfortunate enough to be within my reach. I hear shouting from the clones who were guarding Dooku and see them desperately trying to hold off a separate attack. I rush to their aid, but not in time to save one of the four. More commandos. A whole group of them.

"General Skywalker, we may need back up at Dooku's cell." I warn before all my attention is consumed by the agile droids.

"On my way. Hold on." He replies. Ahsoka joins us before her master, but both Jedi are soon on the scene. We all have our hands full. Rex and the other clones fight alongside me and the Jedi.

Even then, I have four to deal with at once and I'm losing fast. Rex spares time to kill one of my adversaries before having to pay attention to his own droid. I catch a glimpse of Fives and Tup fighting back to back before refocusing on the droid trying to kill me. Like last time, we win, and unfortunately have lost a lot of men. Injuries are attended to and the healthy-but-tired go back to the bunks.

§ § §

My sense of caution is in overdrive as we flank the handcuffed Dooku on our way to a prison. A very high-tech, well guarded prison. We don't reach it soon enough.

_So, two Sith in our custody. Now what? Oh, wait. General Grievous is still out there. Not to mention an army of clankers that need scrapping. _

I watch the Count have his arms chained to the wall, then his ankles, until he's in a star position. Couldn't we have found a more painful way to hold him? Once we're outside, everyone visibly relaxes.

"Alright, boys. Take a couple days of rest. You earned it." Skywalker announces. Surprise shore leave. Oh, cruel world...

§ § §

Rex and I walk shoulder to shoulder (almost) towards 79's. There's a party planned tonight to celebrate Dooku's capture. The Captain and I decided to walk for solitude's sake...well, as much solitude as we can get on Coruscant. He seems a little uncomfortable in the noisy city, (so am I) but we try to block everything out.

"You've got a few questions, huh?" He asks sullenly after several minutes of us largely ignoring each other.

"Just one. Why didn't you tell me or Fives? At least one of us should've known."

"Your reactions to Dytin are what sold him. If you'd known it was me, would you have spoken the same way? It's pretty hard to fake body language." His reply comes on a little desperate, which I have to admit pleases the mean part of me.

"I...understand. But next time you play dead, act like someone I don't want to kill." I put as much mischief as possible into my voice. The good part of me doesn't want him upset. I see a group of mean-looking Abyssins in the crowd. "Hang a right." I say. We quickly slip into an alleyway.

"Same ones as last time?" He asks.

"Don't know, but I didn't want to risk it with so many people." I reply, letting Rex lead.

"Where are you going?" A sweet voice coos from the shadows. Now, see, most clones have a child-like innocence in them when it comes to the normal life of a citizen. They don't understand things like swimming pools or zip lining for fun, and especially not concepts like hookers and prostitutes.

A scantily dressed, attractive woman steps into the light and smiles gently at Rex, ignoring me. He looks at her, completely unsure, and generally dumbfounded. 'Most clones' doesn't apply to me. It rarely does. I know and understand these things. The woman steps lithely towards the Captain, he backs up a little. I cross my arms and stand my ground.

"Not where you're going with this. Bye, now." I snap in reply to her question. In the narrow alley, Rex has backed up until he's pressed against the wall, eyeing her wearily. The mean part of me still has partial control, seeing how I find myself deciding that, since Rex enjoys experience so much, he can learn how to deal with hookers.

If he doesn't, I'll smack the woman into next month. She presses herself against him, toying seductively with his armour. He tries pushing her away, but that just makes her try harder. She manages to land a kiss on his cheek.

My protective sisterly instincts win over any grudge still buried in my mind and I wrench the woman away from Rex, giving her a murderous scowl. She the tries a method that I really didn't see coming. She tries toying with _me_. I knock her arms away, recoiling in disgust and anger.

"Come on, big guy. Why not have a little fun?" She demands endearingly.

"Because I'm not paying for your hospital bills if you keep trying." I mutter.

"Lost your temper, have you?" She murmurs.

"I haven't lost my temper. I know exactly where it is. And if you're still within my reach in the next thirty seconds, you'll get to see it for yourself." My voice is loud and harsh compared to her velvet tone. She looks at me poutingly before stomping off to find a new place to wait for unsuspecting men. Rex looks utterly relieved once she's gone.

"I...don't get it." He admits. I glance in the direction the hooker had gone with disgust.

"A hooker. They try to seduce strangers into... Well, I'm guessing you can figure it out." He nods numbly.

"Why?" He mumbles.

"They probably can't get into a real relationship. Or they want money." I growl.

§ § §

Some time in the middle of the party, my night is ruined. It starts like this: I'm laughing and joking with Fives and Hardcase when a hand squeezes my shoulder. I turn and get a rude shock.

"Plyke, what in the 'verse are you doing here?" I say, leading him to the quietest corner I can find.

"I—I had to find you. Some bad things are going down in the dark parts of Theed. Bounty hunters are banding together, and a lot of the lowlifes are starting to mob."

"What brought this on?" I wonder, half to myself.

"I don't know. Man, Twitch, you've gotta check it out. I mean, you do stuff like this all the time." I shake my head in worry.

"Let me find Rex. He'll have some insight on this. I hope."

"He's like me?" I shake my head again.

"Stay here." I start searching the crowd for the Captain. It takes nearly five minutes of wandering for me to locate him. "Rex, we've got a little situation."

"I hate it when you say that. I'm coming." We go back to Plyke.

"In short, there are stirrings in Theed. Bounty hunters and lowlifes are grouping together. I think it's worth checking out." I explain. Rex must recognize Plyke, but it isn't so vice versa.

"Um, Twitch, I don't judge you, and nothing on your friend, but what do clones know about street life?" Plyke asks.

"This isn't so much about street life as strategy. And the fact that he can authorize me to go or make me stay." Plyke shakes his head.

"Since when do you take orders? Especially on where or not to go? Honestly, I'd think you'd just sneak away if he said no."

"If I snuck away whenever I pleased, I'd be kicked out of the army. Something I'd rather not see happen." The man shakes his head.

"There's no figuring you."

"Good. I hate being predictable."

"Twitch, there doesn't seem to be anything to check out. A little unrest isn't worth the trouble." Rex intervenes. My turn to shake my head.

"I speak from experience when I say a little unrest can snowball into a huge problem. Better safe than sorry, right?"

"Yeah, and how do you suggest getting General Skywalker to let you go?"

"Same way I convinced you."

"What makes you think _I'm_ convinced?" Rex challenges.

"Because you've gone from saying no to bringing up General Skywalker." He sighs.

"I hate psychology. You can give it a try, but be quick. Going to need you back with us fast."

"Don't worry. I used to do this stuff all the time. I'll be back before you use up an energy cell."

§ § §

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this." Skywalker mumbles. I get in the cargo ship.

"I'll be back soon, sir." I promise. Dogma nervously shifts beside me. One condition of me going; I bring another clone. He looks uncomfortable out of uniform.

"Just hope you're in one piece." I give the General a lopsided smile as the door closes. If I had a credit for every time someone doubted me. I find a comfortable place to sit for the ride. In two hours, we're walking into the daylight, stretching.

"Okay, first we figure out where to start looking. Then, we go from there. First place to figure out where to start looking: a bar in the bad part of town. It's amazing how much info you can get in one tiny building." I say, walking towards the nearest rowdy pub.

§ § §

"You need to relax, Dogma. Act like you do this every day." I don't add the part where if he doesn't, he's labelled easy prey by the more violent drunks. "Oh, and whatever you do, don't hit anyone or get hit yourself. That's how pretty much every bar fight starts." He clearly doesn't understand why that is, but I don't bother. I'd just confuse him more.

"Uh, sure. You obviously know what you're doing."

"I had practice. Let's go." I lead the way to the bar. We walk in side by side and head for the bartender. We sit on the stools, though despite my advice, the trooper looks nervous. Being in street clothes really seems to put him off. "You need to unwind, _dad_. Relax. Work will slow down." He looks at me with surprise. I hook an arm around his shoulders and whisper in his ear. "I might be able to pass as your daughter. Call me Gem and laugh when I pull away, as if I said a joke. And for goodness sake, _relax_." He chuckles when I withdraw, and I can see he's trying, but there's still a slight stiffness in his movement. Of all the clones to send, why the most rigid one possible? I scan the crowd. There's a challenge to finding someone who's just the right combination of drunk and stable. I need coherent sentences and easy information. A very much not sober Dug glares at me.

"If yer not drinkin', you don't sittin'." He slurs. I almost point out it's 'aren't', not 'don't', but remember that a drunk Dug has an even shorter fuse than a sober one, which adds up to about a centimetre of patience. Dogma and I move to the right wall. I'm starting to get very irritated. Everyone is either to much here or not to talk to.

"Gotta try another bar. This isn't a good place for information." I mutter.

"Then why'd we come in the first place?" Dogma asks tiredly.

"Didn't know it wasn't worth it until I checked. At least we didn't get caught in a bar fight." At the next bar, I barely walk into the building before turning around again, catching Dogma by his arm.

Cad Bane was at the counter, and I'm not in the mood for playing blaster tag with my least favourite bounty hunter. "If I never see that kriffin' hat again." I mutter, heading to the next bar.

"You got a problem with it?" The filtered voice demands.

"Just the guy under it. I vaguely remember we tried to kill each other once." I reply, turning around.

"Yeah, that's right. I vaguely remember there's a bounty on your head." I sigh.

"You couldn't leave well enough alone. Look, I stay out of your face, you stay out of mine, and we can have a pain-free day."

"Tempting, but the number of credits is worth a little discomfort." I feel Dogma shift restlessly and—

_Dogma! The kid's going to get killed in this fight!_

I unsheathe my arm-blades and step forward.

"Don't you have less difficult, and lethal, people to hunt?" I demand.

"Yeah, but they're less expensive, too." Cad fires a shot. I crossly block it with my left arm.

"Dogma, why don't you find a good position to shoot from?" I suggest. He seems to understand my meaning and moves off to a safe distance. I pull my DC-17s out and take my own shots at the bounty hunter.

"Fitting name for a clone." Bane comments.

"He's found some temperance." I shrug as I dodge an electrified string. Our fight, and words, go back and forth for a while, some fire from Dogma occasionally helping. A wire coils around my arm. An electric pulse wracks my body, but I manage to cut the rope.

I kneel for a moment, gasping, then roll out of Bane's way. A detonator lands at my feet. I raise an eyebrow and put my hands on my hips. "Really?" I sigh before dashing away from the explosive. It knocks me off my feet. My endurance is starting to drop.

I maneuver my way to Dogma. "Strategic disappearance. Next time he throws a detonator, follow me." The second another explosion obscures our vision, I lead Dogma in a complicated path away from the battle. We both have grim expressions, and slight hesitance in our gaits. Even an obedient, nearly-still-a-rookie, young clone hates retreat vehemently.

* * *

_A.N. ~ I just had to introduce Bane into the story. _

Bane: _I'm that good, huh, sweetheart?_

Me: _call me something else. In this story, I could ensure your imminent doom._

Twitch: _SO WHY DON'T YOU?!_

Me: _because the entire fic is prewritten. Readers, please review, positive and negative. The next chapter has a 48 hour timer on it._


	43. Easier To Tell

Coincidence doesn't seem to be the right word for us stumbling upon a meeting between a group of poor and homeless citizens.

Bane's attack was a cursed blessing. On one hand, we now look like any bad-off occupants of Theed. On the other, my energy reserves are dropping and Dogma is on edge. Our cloaks hide our guns, and our faces as we mingle with the small crowd, listening to the conversations.

"Alright, everyone. Listen up." A heavily scarred man orders. "We all know the government is corrupt. If it wasn't, they'd have helped us long ago." A resentment-based revolution. Great. "Look at us! Hungry," many cheer, "hurt," more calls, "homeless," half the crowd pumps the air with their fists, "or maybe just tired of living in a rat-hole." Basically everyone shouts for that one. "Well, we'll just have to prove that we are worth attention! We need to show them that we are not to be ignored, that we are sick and tired of having to live like animals!" This starts up a ruckus. I give Dogma a quick warning glance before cheering as well. He joins in, somewhat confused. "Rest, and in two days time, we will make ourselves known to Theed!" The speaker announces. Everyone starts finding places to sit or sleep in the large, dirty square, or in the surrounding alleyways. Most bunk down in groups or in pairs, a few going off on their own. I find a corner and sit down with Dogma.

"You're going to need a fake name. 'Dogma' will raise questions." He looks unhappy about it, almost offended, but starts thinking. Finally, he speaks.

"Well, Jack is a good one, right?" And popular among clones, but I won't squish his happy.

"That'll work. But, you gotta act like one of them, talk like one, just go with it and don't always agree. Speak your mind, short of making it obvious we aren't what we look like." I cut off as the apparent leader shambles over.

"Some new faces." He notes.

"Came when we heard about the activity. I'm Jack, by the way. This is my daughter, Gem." The gruff man sits next to us, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. Dogma's doing good. I mean, really good. I'm pleasantly surprised.

"Jeph. I take it you're fed up with our treatment, too?" Moment of truth, Dogma. Don't screw it up. My 'dad' sneers.

"Yeah. They talk about 'fairness' and 'equality', but really, what do they call _this_? How they treat us?" Maybe bringing him along wasn't such a bad idea. I'm almost convinced, which isn't a good thing in some ways.

"Couldn't be more right, my friend. Just you wait. In a couple days, we get to tell them just what we think."

"What are we doing?" I ask, eyes glittering. He ruffles my hair and it takes all my self-restraint to not smack his hand away.

"You'll see, kid. Soon, you'll be living like royalty, just like the rest of us." My mouth gapes in delight until he walks away. I look back at Dogma with an exited expression.

"Look like you're happy. Energetic body language. And when did you become such a good actor?" Most loyal soldier in the army happens to be the best liar. Someone explain, please?

"Just now. I had no idea I could do that. I can't believe I said what I did." Fear is in his eyes. I punch his arm reassuringly.

"Necessary. Doesn't matter if you didn't mean it."

"I did NOT mean it." As if that needed clarification.

§ § §

Dogma's good at faking resentment, but I'm the master of appearing to be asleep. I'm paying close attention to Jeph and a woman who seems to be second in command as they talk.

"You've got all the bombs ready?" He asks.

"Of course. Not one block in Theed will be left undamaged. The survivors won't stay awake for long, either." What does that mean? Every part of Theed...

"But, we'll be alright?"

"Our territory is the only safe ground. Sweet irony." They share a laugh before slipping away. This is something that definitely needs to get back to Skywalker.

§ § §

At noon, we leave.

"Hold up. Where are you two going?" Jeph snaps.

"Grabbing a few things from home before tomorrow." Dogma answers.

"You don't need it. Soon, we'll have everything."

"Some things just can't be replaced. We'll be back soon." I say cheerfully. We get about a quarter mile away before I break into a full sprint.

"What brought this on?" Dogma mumbles.

"I heard Jeph and a woman talking. They've planted bombs throughout the city. The woman mentioned that the survivors wouldn't stay awake for long."

"We're getting the authorities?"

"First, we tell Skywalker. Then, we find a very fast, very large bomb squad." I pant.

"Ever tried leadership training?"

"Funny. Rex said something kinda like that."

"_You_ were giving _him_ orders?" He sounds surprised and amused. By nowl he shouldn't have the former.

"Cut me some slack. I was busy being shot at by five angry Abyssins and trying to keep a civvy out of harm's way."

"You get in the weirdest problems."

"You think that's bad, try getting stuck on an island in the Anikata System with memory loss and giant animals."

"You have memory loss?"

"Entire ride from Coruscant on our way to Krovell. The first time we tried. No idea what I did or said." I think he shudders, but it's hard to tell when we're running. I look back at where I'm going just in time to see a torso. We collide and I fall back, rubbing my head. That was painful. I try getting up, but my head is spinning too much. I sit back down and groan.

"Gem, you're alright?" Dogma crouches next to me.

"Depends. Did I run into a wall?" I get a good look at the man I ran into. He has light brown skin, short black hair, and a patch over one eye.

"No, you ran into Captain Panaka." Dogma mutters as he helps me up. I sway, but stand straight. I don't know much about Panaka. In fact, all I know is he is the head of Naboo's Royal security and the fact that he's a captain and I'm not. We both habitually stand at attention.

"Sorry, sir. Are you alright?" I say in a staccato I picked up from listening to Rex.

"I'm fine. Trooper, what are you doing out of armour?" He demands, looking at Dogma.

"It's a long story, sir. We found out a few things that you should probably know about."

"Such as?" He asks crossly.

"Bombs. A lot of bombs." I say. Not standard protocol to answer a question not directed at me, but this is a little urgent for a full report from my companion right now.

"I knew we couldn't trust you." I turn to see three of the mobsters stalking towards us.

"Hey, find your own meat. The kid's mine." Bane appears.

"Oh, come on. All of you? Right now? This is a little important!" I growl. The homeless three pull out makeshift weapons, Cad draws his guns. "I take the walking armoury, you take the other guys?" I suggest, unsheathing my blades.

"Kid, you better know what you're doing." Panaka murmurs.

"Most of the time, she does." Dogma says loyally. We break apart and engage our respective parties.

"Why would they trust you in the first place?" Bane asks as we take turns trying to shoot each other.

"Must be my personality. You know how loveable I can be."

"Ha! Sure. You might be a little delusional, sweetheart." I give him a furious glare.

"Don't you start, too!" I snap, trying to engage in close-range combat so I can hit him. Preferably in the head. He backs up, then plays right into my hands. I have to admit, it isn't arrogance (completely) on his part. He hasn't actually fought me up close and personal before. He realizes his mistake in about sixty seconds.

"Kid, I can't get a clear shot. Move!" I backflip (okay, maybe a bit showy, but who doesn't want to show off when they can do it?) out of the way. A stun blast rings, but Bane dodges. He gives us all an irritated look.

"Next time, sweetheart." He tells me.

"Next person to call me that gets a free ticket to the morgue." I warn, mostly just talking to myself since the bounty hunter is running away. The Captain crosses his arms.

"Okay, talk." And so we brief him as we walk.

§ § §

"That is indeed rather bad news." Kenobi says contemplatively. "And that's all you heard about their plan?"

"I'm afraid so, sir." I answer.

"I'll send some bomb squads right away. It appears you were right to go after all. I'm coming as well with another squad to apprehend the culprits."

"Yes, sir." I salute as the hologram flickers out of existence.

"You definitely know what you're doing." Panaka says as he steps out of the shadows.

"Thank you, sir."

"How long have you been in the military?"

"Nearly six months."

"And you serve under Master Kenobi?" I shake my head.

"General Skywalker."

"I see." We start walking, though I'm not sure where to. "Forgive me for my ignorance, but I was under the impression that there were only male clones." I stop abruptly and gape at him.

"Sir, with all due respect, did you hack my file?"

"No. I looked at your face. You look a lot like other troopers."

"Um..." I suddenly make up my mind and nod firmly. "Good. That's...good. Nobody's ever made the connection just by sight before. Thank you, sir."

"It also sounds in your voice." I'm starting to like this guy. Not that I'm going to start telling anyone right off the bat. They should figure it out themselves. But at least I won't have to lie much longer if my features are really developing as quickly as I think. "No one knows?"

"Not many people. A couple clones and a few Jedi. A couple Sith. I guess I should add you to the list, sir."

"Sith?

"I was caught, I was tested. I...really didn't have much choice for that part."

"Which clones?"

"Captain Rex and ARC trooper Fives."

"And Jedi?"

"Generals Skywalker, Kenobi, and Fisto. I'm willing to bet the entire Council knows."

"Basically everybody will know in a couple months. How old are you?"

"Thirteen. I don't age like normal clones."

"I take it there's a bit of a story behind how you ended up under Skywalker?" We're near the fringe of the good part of town. My natural suspicion of close proximity to hostile territory wins out and I start fidgeting. I hear a noise and see movement, which makes me place my hand on a gun before relaxing.

"I was fighting on Umbara shortly after—" I see more movement. "Sir, maybe we should move to safer ground." I murmur. Five shadowy figures step out. At night, it's hard to make out their faces. I can only tell that they have clubs or...something. My arm-blades slide out.

"Don't kill anyone." Panaka orders.

"So, you want me to use my stun option?" I ask.

"Your gauntlets have a stun option?"

"Only if I don't use the blades."

"You could use your guns." He points out.

"I'm getting twitchy again. Can I please do this without weapons?" He crosses his arms and huffs.

"Suit yourself. I think I want to see this." In five minutes, the five attackers are all incapacitated at my feet. More people start appearing with no sign of stopping.

"We need to go. Now." Panaka orders. We start running back to safety.

"I hate falling back." I mutter to myself. A searing pain flashes in my back. I drop and gasp. The Captain grabs my arm and slings me over his shoulder. "I didn't remember them having guns." I say before promptly blacking out.

§ § §

I wake up to Kenobi sitting next to me. I'm on my stomach. My back aches when I move.

"Twitch, how are you feeling?" The Jedi asks, standing up.

"Great, sir. I could take on a battalion of commandos. Assuming I can stand up." Another clone appears in my field of view.

"Something I forbid. You are staying in that bed until further notice." I groan.

"Good to see you too, Kix. Is that a friendly suggestion or an order?" He shakes his head tiredly.

"Order. Stay put. I have restraints and I _will_ use them." Ha, ha.

"Staying put. Unless something explodes."

"That isn't likely. The bomb squads have been working all day. They've swept virtually every block in the city, besides the more rundown parts." Kenobi explains. Crisis averted.

"What about Jeph and his bunch?"

"Dogma showed us where the meeting had taken place, but it was abandoned. It seems they had forewarning." Kix injects something in my neck and I jerk.

"Would you please give _me_ forewarning before doing that?" I grunt.

"Sorry. Figured it was the only way to put you under without a fuss." I freeze in surprise.

"Just wait 'til I wake up." My eyes involuntarily close before I can elaborate on that.

* * *

_A.N. ~ so, Kix mentioned he'd be avoiding Twitch after she woke up. Who can blame him? The next chapter will be up ASAP. Please review, positive and negative. _


	44. Joining The Pack

"Okay, now High Command is just screwing with me." I growl. Rex stands, watching unhappily as my face darkens.

"They're sending Fives, too. It'll be easier than last time."

"If you even think of dying this time...well, at least pose as someone likeable."

"Will do. Don't worry. Commander Wolffe is a good leader. You and Fives will fit in just fine."

"If you say so. As long as I'm not stuck in another outpost. Then I would flip."

"And spin, and possibly knock Fives out during your sparring matches." I chuckle.

"Have I knocked _anyone_ out in sparring?"

"First time for everything. Your transport will arrive soon. Good luck."

"You too." We give each other friendly nods. I find Fives in the makeshift barracks.

"Time to go, ner vod." I greet. We're the only ones in the room.

"Well, now I know you're a lot tougher than you look."

"You think?" We share a nervous laugh. "Fives, does my face look more like a clone's?" I ask abruptly. He looks surprised, but scowls, observing my features.

"You know, you actually are starting to look more like a clone. What makes you ask?"

"Panaka put two and two together just by looking at me and listening to my voice. To be honest, I'm glad."

"I can guess why. Let's go. And for goodness sake, try to not get shot again! That was what, the third time?"

"Oh, like you've never been shot before." Though, my smile is weakening the challenge. We walk to the pick up spot. Soon, an LAAT/i lands. The door opens to reveal Plo Koon and Commander Wolffe. We stand at attention, holding a salute. I note the large scar and cybernetic right eye displaying the Commander's experience.

"Come aboard." The General says. I'm slightly self conscious when I have to reach a bit to get hold of a handle. Kriffin' 5'5 hight. Wolffe looks Fives over quickly, but my inspection takes a little longer.

"You're a little young, kid." He says. My face remains serious.

"I know, sir." He crosses his arms.

"You're a good fighter?"

"Give me a droid and I'll give you a scrap pile, sir." My tone stays in its staccato.

"I think I'm going to like you." A ghost of a smile touches my lips before leaving. I can feel us landing as we board the Triumphant.

When the side doors open, I see two commando droids waiting with vibroswords. My arm-blades slide out and I engage them immediately. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Fives fighting two of his own droids. I cut one of mine in half. Two more join the first in an attempt to slice me. The one I'd cut is dragging itself towards me. Fives finishes his off.

"Fives, mind shooting the one on the floor? I'm a little busy at the moment." One shot from the ARC and I'm that much safer. Another pair attacks him just as I kill the three attacking me.

I move to help when I'm blindsided by another one. I roll from the blow and duck another blade. Fives maneuvers close to me and we stand back to back as we fight the oncoming commandos. Finally, they stop appearing. We look around nervously before relaxing. My blades slide in. Wolffe and Koon join us.

"How did they get on board and not get shot?" Fives swats me. "I mean, before us." I add, elbowing him. Wolffe almost smiles.

"That was our initiation ceremony. Welcome to the Wolfpack."

§ § §

I'm pleasantly surprised that my usual spot in the middle of the bunks is kept, and Fives' spot remains second bunk to the door. There are the usual sideways glances that accommodate being the new members, along with raised eyebrows at my age and gender. Easier for Fives than me. We are going to Ryloth to help a small village with a droid problem. Fives and I go to the Mess.

"You enjoyed those commandos." He guesses.

"Yeah, but you did too, right?"

"I like a good fight anytime." We get our food and sit down. It isn't as hard as last time, I guess. I mean, Fives is here and all. And I get the feeling Wolffe would have our heads if there are night time pranks.

§ § §

The last of the anesthetics, my weariness, and a little stress put me out like a light. When I wake up, though, my body _is_ cocooned in tape. Everyone else is just getting up. My right hand is close to my head, so it's easier to get out when I unsheathe my blades.

Once I can sit up, I worm my way free before removing all the tape from my bunk. No one is watching or even smirking, so I have no idea who did what last night. I tiredly throw out the wad of tape before retrieving my guns. Fives joins me as we walk to the Mess.

"You don't look very surprised." He comments.

"Two of Keeli's men tried it when I transferred to his squad. It's not worth fussing over. If they do it again, I can always get free."

"Great. My little sister isn't little anymore."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later." I agree grimly. We walk several more steps with serious faces before bursting into laughter at our mock-glumness. Smiles are still tugging at our faces when we enter the Mess Hall. "Y'know, we are going to die laughing if we talk to each other on the battlefield." I say as we sit down.

"I know. As long as we do it taking all the droids down with us, we'll die happy."

"Leave it to us to start a conversation like this." I joke. He coughs several times.

"Okay, okay that's enough talk on that subject." He orders. I give him a small salute before tackling my food. When breakfast is over, we head for the larties. I still feel embarrassed that while everyone else simply bends their elbows to hold on to the handles, I have to extend my entire arm. The light goes red as we descend. Wolffe, Koon, and twenty other men are in here along with Fives and I. Plo gestures to the Commander.

"You know the drill, men. We go in, protect the civvies, and scrap any clankers we see." I like this plan. "Use poppers instead of grenades. We want as little collateral damage as possible." Still a good plan. We land and the light turns green.

We go out and look around. This is a small village, but there are clearly at least a hundred occupants. A tan shaded Twi'lek male approaches us. He gives General Koon a respectful bow.

"Thank you for coming, Master Plo. Your help is sorely needed."

"We will do everything we can to ensure you and your people's safety, Tograk. Do not worry." I cock my head and listen for a moment. I can hear metal scraping against metal. I look over my shoulder at the top of the larty.

"Commandos!" I warn, drawing my guns and shooting at the droids. They jump into our ranks, so I put my guns away and fight them up close. One tries cutting Fives from behind while he's busy with another droid, but I block it. "Hey, Fives. Guess we shouldn't talk, huh?" I tease. Our respective commandos charge. We sidestep and watch them skewer each other.

A sword tip goes into my side from behind. I gasp before spinning around and shooting the droid in its head. Not a life threatening wound, just large and painful. I clutch it, trying to staunch the bleeding.

"Twitch, how bad?" Fives asks. I shoot a commando trying to stab him in the back.

"Mosquito bite. I'm fine." I stagger. A droid goes after me and I'm forced to be acrobatic, which doesn't help the bleeding or my consciousness. I manage to cut its head in half. All the droids are down. We regroup, me still pressing the wound firmly. Everyone has a cut here or there, but thankfully, no one died.

"Is there a place where we can tend to our wounded?" The General asks Tograk.

"Of course. This way." We follow him to a building that seems to be a meeting hall. I sit down and lean against a wall, hissing at the movement. My left hand is covered in scarlet by now. The wound is deeper than I thought. Fives joins me.

"So," I pant, "does this count as getting shot or am I in the clear?" I hear a squeal of surprise and look up to see a chubby, elderly purple Twi'lek woman waddling over to me.

She aggressively shoves Fives away and looks at the puncture. She speaks in a flurry of Twi'leki, looking panicked. The medic tries approaching me, but she shoos him away. He patiently tries again, but she snarls and nearly smacks him. I realize she's protecting me. I know exactly two words in the Twi'leks' language. Never thought I'd use them.

"Nerra." I grunt. She stops and looks at me, fascinated. I point at Fives, then the medic. "Nerra." I insist. She slowly points at the medic, then me.

"Nerra, numa?" I nod. This starts another bout of chatter I don't understand, but she finally moves aside to let the medic work on me. I hope his translators weren't on.

"Good work, kid." He says while taking a look at the cut. "But, why 'brother'?" Kriff, he _was_ listening.

"I've been told I look like a clone. I guess she thinks so, too." I can sense Fives glancing at me, but don't look at him. If the medic can't piece it together, he doesn't need to know. I suck in my breath when the medic presses too hard on one spot.

"Sorry. So, you're from the 501st?" I figure he's trying to distract me as he—ow, stitches. Yep.

"Yeah. Torrent Company." I bite my tongue to distract myself.

"You seem to be a little young for the elites." He places a bacta patch over the wound before standing up.

"Age isn't a factor." I say. "Thanks."

"Gotta go." He mutters. The Twi'lek looks over his handiwork nervously, gently chattering all the while. I look at Fives and mouth _save me_.

"Uh, ma'am?" He prompts. She ignores him. "Ma'am, maybe you could give her some air?" He gently puts a hand on her shoulder and is clocked. He falls back with a cry of surprise.

"Hey!" I yelp, trying to stand. My side spasms and I slide back to the floor. "Nerra, nerra!" I snap, glaring at the woman. She says something quickly, patting my knee before advancing on Fives. Her being a civilian ties his hands from retaliation.

I stagger to my feet and limp in between them, protectively placing myself between the woman and my brother. "Nerra." I repeat firmly. She tries getting around me, but I shuffle to keep up. My legs tremble. Fives supports me and helps me back to the wall.

"You are not getting up again." He orders.

"You're welcome. Do we have a translator droid to tell her to stop?"

"'Fraid not. Ow!" She's slapped him.

"Knock it off! Fives, what are the rules for using binders on civvies?" He groans, rubbing his cheek.

"It would be easier if we just let her be." She hits his shoulder.

"What part of 'nerra' doesn't she get?" I growl. I hear another flurry of Twi'leki. Tograk walks over, arguing with the woman until she throws her hands up and leaves.

"Thanks." I say.

"Bethsa is very protective of children. She did not understand that your friend wouldn't hurt you." He explains.

"Not likely I could." Fives mutters. I shift into a more comfortable position, wincing when it pulls at my stitches.

"Those droids did." He points out.

"Lucky stab. I'll be good to go by the next battle." I say cheerfully.

"I must go. Take care of your nerras." He walks away wile I exchange a worried glance with Fives. Too many people are finding out too fast.

§ § §

Next battle comes at night. I'm awake at the first shot, using the wall for support as I stand up. Fives draws his guns, looking around for the danger. Screams and shooting are coming from outside. Tables are turned on their sides and positions are taken up. I take cover beside the Commander and get my guns out.

"You sure you're healthy enough for this?" He asks. The doors burst open and droids begin walking in.

"Wether I am or not, they're still coming." I answer. Someone throws a droid popper, then Koon begins attacking them. Once the first wave is down, we go outside and begin searching for more droids. I hear children screaming and run towards the noise. Someone blindsides me in the dark and I roll.

"Well, hello there, sweetheart."

"Bane, do kindly shut up." I say, shooting at him. A rope snags my leg. I cut it off just as the first electrical jolt hits me. My side is oozing blood. I think I might've ripped my stitches. The others are off somewhere else. I'm on my own. My comm beeps.

"Twitch, where are you?" The General.

"I'm—" bane kicks me in the head. I groan and back up as I talk. "Fighting a bounty hunter." Bane takes a couple shots before I can stop the sound from going through.

"And I take it you may need back up?" I hate admitting I need help. I'm about to answer when Bane interrupts me.

"'Course she does. I could always use the money on a Jedi's head."

"Was that _Cad Bane_?" Koon demands.

"Yes, sir." I yelp when he kicks my stomach. I see a small flashing red light. I start running just as the detonator goes off. The explosion topples the house I'm next to, burying me in rubble and heavy wood. They heard that one loud and clear through my comm.

I moan as I try getting the wood off of me. Another explosion sends me flying. I land in the street, coughing. My energy reserves are depleted. My body can't put any more into this fight.

"Had enough, sweetheart?" Bane puts a boot on my shoulder, leaning weight onto my body.

"Get...off." I snarl, my voice not losing any of its harshness. This would be so much more dignified if I wasn't gasping and almost unconscious. "I'm going to feed you to a sarlacc." I growl, struggling weakly.

"Sure, you will. Maybe while you're dreaming." Someone shoots at the bounty hunter, making him abandon his place on top of me. I slowly get up and stagger back to the others. The medic replaces my bacta patch with a fresh one, giving me a shot for the pain.

"You are one insane di'kut." He growls.

"I'd've lasted longer if I didn't have a hole in my gut." I grunt.

"You'd last a lot longer if you stopped almost getting killed." Fives walks over, a protective light in his eyes. Bane has fled.

"I'm getting this from _you_?" I tease.

"Fives is quite right." The General joins us. We straighten to attention. "You could easily have been killed. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, sir." I say obediently.

"Good. Commander, we need to set up patrols. Another ambush like that would not do."

"Yes, sir." I listen as the patrols are assigned. For the first couple days, I'm not in them.

§ § §

Bethsa has barely left my side, driving both me and Strings, the medic, up the wall. He's barely had a chance to check on me, sneaking time between those precious few minutes when the Twi'lek leaves to get food or relieve herself. It's the afternoon of the second day when he's taking a look at the almost-healed cut.

"You're cleared for duty. Just take it slow." He says. A wail from Bethsa closes my eyes in an _eternal torment_ face as the woman bear hugs me, using her body as a shield.

"Assuming I can get five feet in any direction. Do me a favour and shoot me if this keeps up." I grunt, wincing as the squeeze irritates my injuries.

"I could put her out with an injection." He offers. A burst of pain jolts my side and I yelp.

"That would be great. Please do it before I black out." I wheeze. He quickly starts shuffling through his med kit before approaching us with a syringe. Bethsa turns her back on him to put distance between us. She jerks as the drug enters her system, and unfortunately falls on top of me when she passes out.

"Twitch, anything broken?" Strings asks.

"My pride. I can't breathe." He chuckles as he helps me out from under the elderly woman.

"Well, you're in the next patrol, so you should probably meet them at the hall."

"Right. Thanks. She's going to be murderous when she wakes up." He shakes his head.

"Yeah, but there're plenty more drugs if I need to use 'em."

"I'm going to be late. Bye." I jog to the hall just as the others assemble. Four-Four and Boost cock their weapons.

"Let's get going, kid." Boost says. He has the most experience in Wolfpack, so he takes point. We start circulating out away from the village. Well into the patrol, we stop for a short break. A twinge of discomfort comes from my side. I push it to the back of my mind and glance at Boosts' wrist, noting the flashing green light.

"Someone's calling you." I say. He turns it on.

"Is anyone there? We need reinforcements!" A clone asks desperately.

"Where are you?" Boost demands.

"South sector. We—augh!" The sound of blaster fire comes through the comm. We start running for the other patrol. My side is giving me grief. This is not taking it slow. I faintly hear shooting.

"It's coming from there." I gesture slightly left of where we are currently going. We swerve. Just into the scantily placed trees, we stumble into the battle. My arm-blades slide out.

Comet is on the ground, struggling weakly as an electrified cable shocks his body. I cut it quickly and step between him and Bane. The bounty hunter is twenty feet off the ground, using his rocket boots to stay out of my immediate reach. Two clones besides Comet are on the ground, either dead or injured. Boost and Four-Four shift behind me.

"Why don't you come down here and fight like a man?" I ask, anger flaring.

"I prefer to not fight like an idiot." Ouch. That was a snipe.

"Yeah. It was pretty stupid of you to fight me hand-to-hand on Naboo." I taunt. I draw my gun and shoot without warning. He dodges, returning fire. I inch my way farther from the unconscious clones so a stray bolt won't hit them.

Cad isn't an idiot, though. He clearly knows how to hurt me, because he turns to shoot one of them. I take the opportunity to hit his boot and destabilize him. He rolls with the impact of landing and turns on me.

Boost raises his gun threateningly. I notice Bane drop something. I dash forward, ducking whatever Bane throws at me. I grab the grenade and toss it straight up. We open fire on the bounty hunter and he flees.

"Strings is right. You _are_ an insane di'kut." Boost growls.

"You're welcome." I mutter as I check Comet's patrol for pulses. "Everyone's alive, just unconscious. Probably electricity or gas." I say, mostly to myself. Boosts picks up one of the patrol members while Four-Four takes the other. I shake Comet's shoulder and he groans. I help him up and give him support as we head back to the village.

§ § §

We've been actively hunting Bane and any remaining droids, and I've been actively avoiding Bethsa. By now, I have to stay on a platform in the rafters of the hall just to have a decent night's sleep.

It's dawn and I'm on patrol with the Commander and Strings. No sooner do we leave the hall than she appears, chattering and showing all aggression towards the other clones. I back up and she tries to hug me.

"Gah. Strings, you wouldn't happen to have another injection on hand, would you?" I dodge a hug. She catches my wrist and practically drags me into her embrace. I stand there limply as she squeezes me. I try getting away, but she must have practice with keeping children in one place, because I can barely breathe soon.

Strings is taking his time, which elicits an irritated scowl from me before I start worming my way out of the grip. Wolffe stands there watching. I can't see his expression under his helmet, but I'm willing to bet it's a smirk. The grip tightens until it's painful. "Bethsa. Bethsa, stop. Strings, how's that needle coming along?" He walks over carefully, ducking a punch aimed at his head before managing to put half of the liquid into her.

As soon as the elderly woman gets sluggish, he finishes giving her the dose. I slip out of her arms before she topples over. I rub a bruise forming on my collarbone as we drag Bethsa to the side of the hall before leaving.

* * *

_A.N. ~ Chapter Forty Five ASAP, again. Please review, positive or negative. _

Twitch:_ Aranar'ven, please, you've got to hide me! Bethsa's coming to!_

Me: _well, she doesn't really go anywhere outside the village. Have a patrol soon?_

Twitch:_ I just got back from one. Agh, I don't want to spend my free time running from her!_

Me:_ I don't know, Twitch. Maybe you could join or switch places with someone in the next patrol?_

Twitch:_ Fives is in it, and he was mentioning how he wanted more sleep... Thanks! Gotta go!_

Me:_ poor Twitch. She must really not like Ryloth by now... Cya guys next time!_


	45. Mutt

_A.N. ~ I made up the Umbaran words. They are not official, just what I came up with._

* * *

I am not sorry to hear the Triumphant report that no more droid activity is visible on the planetary scan. It means we get to leave. I'm standing with Fives, waiting for our larty. Strings gave me a syringe just in case Bethsa decides to say her goodbyes. I see the large purple Twi'lek lumbering this way.

"Think of the devil." I mutter. She spreads her arms and barrels towards us. "If the injection doesn't work, mind finding Strings and smacking him for me?"

"And if it does?"

"Then power to him." I dive out of the way and back up. Bethsa hugs me and I stick her arm, injecting the drug. I manage to push her to the side before she can fall on me. She whimpers, giving me a hurt look before dozing off.

I guess this is the only time I've really gotten through to her that I don't like having her around. Fives helps me drag her to the side of a building. My ponytail sways as I shake my head.

"Larty's here. Let's get going." Fives says. I follow him back to the main group and we file in.

§ § §

Comet and the other two clones; Dash-1029 and Jacks, have recovered quickly. 1029 is a mechanic, though he hasn't gotten a nickname yet. He finds me on the Triumphant, at a makeshift table I scraped together with two empty crates.

I don't see him at first, because I'm busy hopping back from what I was doing. A small pillar of smoke drifts from the fritzing orb. I grumble as it shorts out, electrocuting the crates before dying with a sad whining noise. I used to be so good at this! I hear a gentle cough and start, turning to see 1029 with his arms crossed.

"Working on something?" He taps the side of his head. I touch the same spot on my head and find a spark. I pat it out and check my hair for any other hot spots. I need a haircut.

"Trying to. I'm starting to think machines have it out for me." He examines the wreckage of my work.

"What were you trying to build?"

"I was trying to fit a droid popper and grenade into one. Droids can't run if they're shut down." I retie my hair as he looks over the wires and pieces.

"You do a lot of tinkering?"

"Not lately." He starts putting bits together. I stand next to him and watch as he slowly reassembles the weapon. Soon, it's done. He hands it to me and I roll it over in my hand. "Thanks." I say.

_How did he...wow._

"Well, it still needs testing, but at least it's in one piece." I give him a lopsided smile.

"Yeah. That's something." What's left on the table sparks again. I raise my hand to protect my face. "Really, it isn't usually this bad." I say. He swats a few sparks in my hair.

"I believe you. So, you work with poppers a lot?"

"Explosives, actually. They're good diversions."

"I'm starting to think Strings is right."

"Fives said I was insane months ago. Strings doesn't know the half of it."

"The Commander's going to have his hands full with you."

"I don't cause that much trouble!" Another burst of sparks from the table doesn't help my case.

§ § §

My hair is now a little over an inch long. At least it's within regulation-length parameters now. It sticks up in a somewhat fluffy way that isn't as organized as most troopers hair, or organized at all, but I like it this way. Fives gives me a weird look as we eat.

"What?" I ask.

"You cut your hair."

"Too many sparks were getting in it. Plus, it gets in my eyes."

"Don't suppose you'd take a buzz cut." I shake my head. It's surprising how light it feels with most of my hair gone.

"Let's not push it." He lowers his voice.

"To be honest, you do look a lot like a clone now. It's easier to tell without long hair."

"Fine by me. If anyone can tell by sight, good for them. If not, they don't need to know."

"And here I remember a time you almost skinned me for just saying it."

"I was having a bad week. Don't tell me you were in a good mood after being captured and tortured."

"I was too busy hallucinating to be angry at the time. Besides, you covered the 'angry' part for both of us." I shrug.

"The pirate had it coming. You know anyone who hurts us has a death wish."

"You make sure it's a death sentence. It's a wonder any Separatists are left at all." My cheeks heat up at the praise.

"You and Rex do scrap a lot of droids." I mumble. "By the way, we're going to Umbara...again. There were some earthquakes."

"I heard. Getting civilians to safety."

"At least we don't have to worry about serving under a monster."

"True... If I never see another vixus..."

"It would mean you'd never be on Umbara. Sparring later?"

"Why don't you save that energy for moving rocks?"

§ § §

_So, an Umbaran earthquake basically causes very large holes with debris raining down as it happens, which traps anyone who falls in and possibly pins, injures, or kills them. I hate this planet. Once was bad enough, but three times is just mockery._

Thus is my thought chain as I carefully climb down the slope of a bowl shaped dent, looking for survivors as I go. At the bottom, I find an unconscious child. I pick him up and start trudging back the way I'd come.

This kid is heavy. I mean, 'as big and old as I am' heavy. I puff as I go. Some grit slides out from under me and I fall, shoving the Umbaran onto a ledge before I drop him. I catch myself partway down and climb back up, mapping out my course before continuing. The kid groans and comes too, then starts chattering worriedly and struggling.

"Stop moving or we're both going to fall." I snap, placing him in front of me. I steady him and we keep moving upward until the top, where a local hurries forward, embracing the child. Strings jogs over.

"Anyone need a medic?"

"Not that I've found yet." I reply.

I go back down my hole and look around and under rocks, searching every crevice for a local. I find an adult with a crushed arm. I start dragging him towards the rock heap I've been using as steps up and down, but this guy is heavy, and I'm half of his or her size. It's hard to tell the genders apart.

We were taught only a few words in Umbarese: help, please, medic, and thank you. Many Umbarans speak both Basic and their native tongue, but you never know who speaks what and where they are. Able bodied locals are always waiting to help, but I don't understand why they have us down here if they can do it themselves.

"Soshakk, xatek!" I call. Help, please. It's a cardinal rule to use manners when speaking with Umbarans, apparently. A couple men come down and take him from me.

I start searching again and find who I'm sure is a woman. Beside her is the crumpled form of an infant. I shake my head sadly, but leave them. The dead are to be left alone. We're only here for the survivors. I do another once-over before climbing out. At least my haircut was well timed. I push my hand over my head before looking for a different place to help.

"There is an unattended hole over there, if you are done here." Wychekk, the only native whose name I know, offers, waving a hand towards a

"Thank you, Wychekk. I'll start right away." He catches my shoulder as I turn.

"Do not think we don't recognize you and the one called Fives. We know you have killed many of our people."

"I apologize for the part I played during the fighting, but the Separatists had to be stopped. I didn't make your people chose to help them." A strange feeling that I should jump head first into the pit starts bugging me. I recall that Umbarans can manipulate thoughts and feelings, so I shake it off and go to the next hole.

I had thought of Wychekk as a reasonable and (yes, I go as far as friendly) man. Guess I was wrong if he wanted me to throw myself into a hole. I glance back to see him scowling at another Umbaran. The new comer gives me a dirty look. Yikes.

§ § §

I search for Fives in a steep pit. A small tremor had come and he hasn't radioed in during the head count afterwards. I had immediately volunteered to find him as soon as it was apparent he needed finding.

I try comming him again, but don't get a reply. The pit is roughly a hundred yards in circumference, and thirty meters deep. It takes me a good ten minutes to finally find him, half buried in rocks as big as my head. I take off his helmet and listen to his breathing. Strong. I shake his arm gently.

"Come on, Fives. I am NOT dragging your shebs up that wall." A howl gets my attention. For the first time, I notice that tunnels are dotting the walls. This must have been a cave before an earthquake ripped it open. And something is living down here. "Fives you gotta wake up NOW." I catch sight of what had caused the sound. A large wolflike animal with a massive tooth coming from the lower jaw is standing dominantly on a rock.

I thought anoobas were only native to Tatooine. I guess Umbara has a jungle variety. Yet another reason for me to hate this planet. Fives' eyes snap open. I put a hand on his mouth and keep my eyes trained on the predator. I really hope this one isn't in a pack, because we won't live to see tomorrow if that's the case.

I slowly reach for my gun. The animal realizes the danger it's in and leaps at me. I can't dodge in time and it puts full weight on me, sliding us back several feet from the momentum. I try grabbing my gun with my left hand. In one swift movement, the anooba bites down on my left shoulder, digging its massive tooth into my body.

I scream and slash at it blindly. I somehow manage to hit something and it lets go. I shoot it in the head and am rewarded to see it go down.

_Am I going to get a hole in my body every mission we go on? _

Fives worms his way out from under the stones. An inch-round puncture wound is just under where my collarbone and shoulder meet. I can tell the tooth went straight through to the other side. My breathing is ragged and noisy, and I don't get up.

"Twitch, hang in there. I'm going to call the General and he'll get us out of here." I manage a pained chuckle.

"That tends to go without saying. I hope." He presses down on the wound and I yell. Ow. Now, think of a time you got a splinter, maybe an odd one or two of you have had a nail poke you. Now enlarge that to the size of an anooba's tooth. Yeah, bet you can't really imagine what it feels like. Suffice it to say, I'm almost unconscious.

"General Koon." Fives says.

"Fives, is that you?"

"Yes, sir. Twitch is injured, though. We were attacked by an anooba."

"Strange. I will be there shortly. Go back to the wall you went down."

"Sir, yes sir!" He picks me up and slings me over his shoulder.

"Garden variety mutts. Who knew." I grunt as he walks.

"Don't talk. You'll bleed more."

_Old wives' tale. I think..._

He puts me down, my back leaning against the cliff face.

"No problem. I'm going to black out..." And so I do.

§ § §

FIVES' P.O.V.

General Koon jumps down next to me and looks at the blood soaking Twitch's shoulder, and subsequently her torso.

"Climb up twenty feet and get ready to hold her." He orders. I don't get it until I'm in position and he Force-lifts the young clone up to me. I pin her between me and the cliff, holding on to her. The General climbs twenty feet above me and takes Twitch away, placing her at the top of the ridge. We climb the rest of the way. I check my little sister's pulse.

"Strings, bring your med kit." Plo orders. The problem with a new battalion is the fact that no one knows your past very well. Rex, for example, would know that Twitch doesn't get herself hurt like this very often. Wolffe, on the other hand, has only seen what she's done lately.

The latter will probably be hard on Twitch because of her mistakes, but the former would give her friendly advice and move on, trusting her to take care of herself. Hopefully, she won't have too hard a time because of this. I move and let Strings get to work.

"Fives, maybe you should start looking for more survivors." The General says.

"Yes, sir." I agree.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I wake up with my arm in a sling. It's raining, and I'm in a small shelter.

"Good to see you awake." I glance at Wychekk.

"I thought you wanted me to jump in a hole." I grunt.

"I apologize for allowing my emotions to get the better of me. I find it...difficult to change my mindset sometimes." I figure this is the closest to an admission of error I'm going to get, so I give him a small smile and sit up. The world starts spinning, then stops.

"It's alright. I'm used to hostility. I better get back to work." He puts a hand on my good shoulder, stopping my upward progress.  
"Your medic gave me direct orders to not let you up. And Fives warned me you'd make it a challenge.

"I hate it when I prove him right. I'll be fine. I've taken worse hits." I try getting up again, but he keeps me down. I'm not exactly a challenge right now.

"You'll open the wound if you keep this up. Please, don't force me to use the injection Strings left." I relax and stop trying to stand.

"Fine." Strings is learning how to keep me down as fast as Kix did. I look at Wechekk and notice that he's young. As in late teens to early twenties young.

"What?" He asks irritably.

"Nothing. Sorry."

"Hmm. So, is it hard being the only female clone?" Instead of surprise, I feel weariness.

"It has its ups and downs. You know what I am just by looking?"

"It isn't very hard to tell. Your battalion doesn't know?"

"Just Fives. If it's becoming as obvious as I think, though, they'll figure it out soon enough."  
"Why not simply tell them?"

"There are a lot of reasons, but I mainly just want them to find out on their own."

"You sound like you've thought it through before. A lot."

"I have." Loud crashing catches my attention. "Was that an explosion?" I sigh.

"Yes. Rebels and terrorists have been active lately."

"How far are we from the others?" I peer into the mist.

"The work site is only about two hundred yards from here."

"Well, that explosion sounded about two hundred yards from here." The sound of blaster fire makes up my mind. I stand up and start jogging towards the fight. Wychekk runs beside me.

"You shouldn't be up. Twitch, wait! You are in no condition!" I unsheathe my right arm-blade when I see three rebels up ahead. They turn to face me and shoot without hesitation. I block the shots.

One tries hand to hand combat. He doesn't live to feel himself hit the ground. I roll out of the fire and shoot both of the rebels. I suddenly realize how Wychekk must feel about this and turn to apologize. He's standing with his mouth open.

"I'm sorry, Wychekk. You probably don't want to watch the next ten minutes of the fighting." I nearly walk into the crossfire, but stop before I'm noticed and sneak behind the aggressive party.

I stun several of them before running into the fog. Any pursuers are dealt with accordingly. When too many are chasing me at once, I slip back to the other troops who have formed a line with General Koon at the head of it. Strings takes a second to swat the back of my head before shooting at an Umbaran.

"Save the 'you shouldn't be up' line for once this is over." I growl.

"You're hopeless." He mutters.

"Too bad they don't have a rocket launcher for you to steal." Fives jokes. He's behind me.

"Pity. I like using Umbaran tech."

"And you haven't even flown one of their star fighters yet." He teases.

I chuckle. "Do you know how badly that would end?"

* * *

_A.N. ~ the next chapter will be up within 48 hours. Please positively or critically review. I like hearing what you think, people! Seriously, I get euphorically happy if I see _one_ more review has been posted._


	46. Finding Favour

The rebels didn't know what hit them. Especially the ones who decided to hit Strings from behind. True to Fives' words, it was a death sentence after the first punch. We've been in close combat with the rogues for an hour.

The last rebel going down is a huge relief for everyone. Strings has a bruise forming on his right cheek; the result of the one hit that a rebel got in before he met an unpleasant end, everyone is a little sore, and we lost Four-Four. Something I am very much not pleased with. My shoulder is expressing its displeasure at my activity in a continuous and uncomfortable fashion.

"You shouldn't be up." Someone says from behind me.

"I knew you'd say that." I mutter as I look over my shoulder. Strings crosses his arms.

"Atin, di'kutla, insane ad." He growls to himself.

"Hey, let's not get angry or anything. I _know_ I'd win in a cussing match."

"Trust me, Strings. She would." Fives wanders over.

"I'm pretty sure I could sedate her if it meant she'd stay down." The Medic retorts

"You'd have a tiger by the tail. Even_ if _you managed to put me out, I'd have to wake up eventually."

"Take a lesson from Kix and don't let her see you until the next fight if you put her out." The ARC coaches.

"Oh, so that's why I never saw him for days on end." I contemplate.

"Is she always this stubborn with medics?" Strings asks Fives.

"Always. Kix had to threaten restraints last time she was hurt."

"And before that I might've left the med bay once or twice without clearance."

"Do you get hurt every mission you go on?" Strings crosses his arms.

"Nope. I'm just having a bad week."

"It's been eight days since we transferred." Fives reminds me.

"I know. One of those eight days was spent in a good mood."

"Take. It. Slow." Strings sighs before stalking off.

§ § §

"I said take it slow!"

"This _is_ me taking it slow!" I snap back. The rebels started another onslaught. I'm blocking and shooting next to the medic.

"I'd love to see what your definition of taking it fast is. You could fight entire armies." He replies sarcastically.

"No, just battalions...maybe the odd Sith." The last half of the sentence is barely audible.

"Didn't catch the last part."

"Nothing. By the way, there's a rebel squad behind us."

"What!? And you just happen to mention this now?"

"Oh, relax and keep shooting. They're already dead without even knowing it."

"And what makes you say that?" Wolffe snaps, clearly having been listening to our conversation." I deliberately take out a small black box with a red button in the middle slowly, then press the trigger. Loud explosions about fifty meters behind us go off.

"I wired some detonators when the fighting started." I explain with a shrug before hurriedly blocking a bolt. The rebels see that they're defeated and retreat. By now, I'm used to the sight. My gun and arm-blade are put away.

I shake off a dizzy spell. Blood loss isn't good for my energy. I hear an anooba's howl and perk up. More calls respond to the first. Way too close to have been in that pit. "That's not good." I mutter. I hear a growl behind me and whip around. "Fives, next time you do that I'm likely to shoot you." I tease, trying not to look wide-eyed.

A real growl starts behind him. We draw our guns and aim. A small anooba leaps at us with slathering jaws. We shoot it down, though, I admit I hopped back several inches in surprise.

"There's got to be a whole pack out there. At least another five." The ARC states nervously. The General joins us.

"It would be best if we stayed together. Do not stray from the group." He orders. I like how he suggests things instead of flat-out telling us to do what he says. Everyone bunches together, shifting uncomfortably at each howl and snarl.

I hate anoobas. They couldn't just all die and cease to exist; they have to keep breathing. A huge animal jumps at us, landing on top of Sinker and Boost, knocking their helmets off.

I immediately jump on the thing's back, shooting the base of its skull. It topples over as I hop off. Sinker starts coughing, putting a hand over his nose. He glances meaningfully at his brother, a joke playing in his eyes as they push the anooba off and stand.

"Told'ja you only take a bath on leave." He teases.

"You don't think it just might have something to do with the dead animal?" Boost grumbles. Two more of the beasts attack us, dealt with swiftly by our guns and Koon's lightsaber.

§ § §

The kid I'd dragged out of the pit earlier won't leave me alone. He's been giving me weird looks and sitting next to me all through dinner. At least he isn't Bethsa. He won't talk, he just hovers nearby. I effectively start using my talent for ignoring selected people and pretend he doesn't exist as I start bedding down for the night, finding a place slightly apart, but not too far, from the rest of the squad.

"Sorry." I start. I've been so busy ignoring the kid that I forgot about him. I glance at him over my shoulder.

"What for?" I ask gruffly. He doesn't answer. I glance at him again before sitting down. "You should go back to your parents. Shouldn't be out at night." He softly chuckles, but doesn't elaborate on his humour.

On one hand, I don't want to sleep with him hovering nearby. On the other, I hate it when people get the impression that they're intimidating me. I nonchalantly begin looking over my guns. No rags on hand to scrub them, which is just as well since I only have one good hand.

Once I'm satisfied they're in as good a condition as can be expected after the day they went through, I look over my gauntlet. I consider removing the left one to check it, but that might aggravate the wound, and I honestly don't feel like risking that without a fight to blame it on.

And so I run out of excuses for not sleeping like everyone else. I give the young Umbaran another weary glance before lying down and rolling onto my side, turning my back to him.

§ § §

"Twitch, what's going on?" Someone asks.

I wake up, realizing something warm is touching my back. A hand is on my shoulder. It isn't large enough to be a clone's. Realization hits me and I leap up, creatively cursing as I do so. The Umbaran stands, looking surprised and a bit confused. _Hurt_, even.

"What the kriff are you doing?" I hiss. Other clones besides Fives are rousing. The kid spreads his hands in confusion and steps towards me. I hop back and glare. He chatters in Umbarese, but no Basic. "Talk in a language I speak." I snap. He stares, anger and unhappiness crossing his face. He reaches for my arm, but I pull away.

"Explain. Now." Wolffe stalks over. I glare venomously at the other teenager. This is awkward and really not making sense to me.

"Not sure I know how, Commander. You should ask the di'kut who was cuddling me." I intensify my scowl, daring anyone to comment.

"A local custom." Wychekk appears.

_What was he doing near our camp?_

Plo Koon is beside him.

_Oh. Talking to the General. That's what._

"Violate the irritable soldier's personal space?" I guess. I know I shouldn't be sarcastic like this, but I'm too furious and creeped out to care.

"No. If a young male finds favour in a female, he is entitled to spend a night with her to get a feel of her spirit and body." My eyes widen in outrage.

"WHAT?!" Fives grabs my shoulders to restrain me when I lunge at the kid. I spit every insult and curse I can think of. I am going to feed that kid to the anoobas. And then throw what's left into a volcano on Mustafar. Everyone is up now, staring as I rant and Fives struggles to keep me from hurting the local.

"Twitch, enough." Wolffe orders. I freeze. Few things can stop me when I'm that angry. One being the authority of a Commander I do not want to tangle with. Oh, my expression is still bloody murder, but at least Fives doesn't have to hold on to me anymore.

I'm panting from talking more than breathing. I glare at the bewildered young Umbaran. He agitatedly talks in his native tongue with Wychekk. Worry crosses the older man's expression.

"He...has found favour with you." Fives makes to grab me again, but I brush him off, getting in the kid's face.

"NOT. INTERESTED." I growl dangerously before stalking into the jungle.

§ § §

NO P.O.V.

Commander Wolffe made to follow the furious child, fully intending to reprimand her for her reaction to the (admittedly, inappropriate) ritual. Plo Koon raised a hand.

"Let her be, Commander. She will need some time to clear her thoughts. Fives, you know her better than anyone else here. How long do you think she'll be?" The trooper shook his head with a troubled expression etched into his features.

"I really don't know, sir. She likes to be unpredictable, and does a good job of it, too. But, judging from her face, she won't be back for a while." Meanwhile, while they were deciding on what to do about Twitch and wether or not to continue about the day as planned without her, the young clone had stomped off to a quiet place in the jungle.

She had climbed a tree and now sat in its branches, hidden well by her dark outfit and the persistent mist that always covered the planet's surface. She was blowing off steam and muttering to herself; something she often did when she was trying to cool down.

To her, it didn't make sense why such a stupid ritual was still practiced. To the boy, it didn't make sense why she had reacted in such a harsh way.

He had thought she would be pleased that an outsider would win him over so quickly. She had helped him out of the pit, he admired her strength and knack for survival. And yet, one of the other soldiers had been forced to hold her back so as to avoid his harm.

Back at the camp, the clones were packing up and heading for the next group of holes they would have to sweep for injured locals. In truth, the Commander was having doubts about Twitch.

Yes, she was an excellent fighter and had done well with the detonators during the last battle, but she got injured frequently. His experience tempered the doubt, though. All of his men, himself included, had been injured during the commando raid. Cad Bane was a deadly bounty hunter known to kill even Jedi, though running off on her own was a foolish mistake. The anooba was something he hadn't seen therefore couldn't judge. He then also weighed the negatives to the positives, forming a T-chart in his mind.

_Brash, Headstrong | Good Fighter_

_Is Injured Frequently | Don't Know Her History Well Enough T__o Assume Anything_

_Is Sarcastic, Stubborn, ETC. | Follows Orders Anyways_

His thoughts were interrupted by his General gesturing for them to walk slightly away from the group.

"What is troubling you, Commander?" Months of trust had formed a bond. Though the veteran clone always stayed professional, he never denied what his General clearly knew, and was comfortable in confiding to the Jedi.

"I'm just...concerned about Twitch. She has no training to run on in war." Plo sensed this wasn't a personal concern, but a practical one. Twitch was a child, who put herself and (sometimes) subsequently others at risk. Wolffe didn't want her to get killed, but in the same breath, he was protecting his men.

"You'd be surprised how much experience has taught her. She may not have had any official training to be a soldier, but it is clear that's what she is straight down to her core." Wolffe didn't understand the kid soldier or how she was so devoted to something she wasn't trained for. It was strange for him, really.

He'd never met Twitch before she was transferred, yet she looked hauntingly familiar. Even more so after she cut her hair. He started thinking about where he might have seen her, but his seldom interactions with the 501st came up blank in his mind. Or did it?

Who did he know that had black hair, a somewhat large humped nose, straight, firm mouth, and brown (though granted, Twitch had more golden than usual) eyes? The answer was walking around him. It _was_ him.

He tried to talk himself out of it. What kind of idiotic idea was this? But he couldn't deny the clearly visible evidence. Strings had mentioned his confusion on Ryloth about Twitch's choice of words when she had to convince Bethsa to let him treat her.

_She said 'nerra', the Tail Head said 'numa'. Doesn't make sense, Commander. Brother and sister? Must've just been a trick to let me help her. _He recalled the medic's words.

At first, he had just assumed Twitch had lied to get rid of the purple Twi'lek. Now it made perfect sense why she had said what she did. Throw in how quickly she rounded on the Umbaran rebel when he had hit Strings and you had the instinctive protectiveness all clones naturally form for their squad mates, no matter how well they knew them or not.

His mind continued to race as he headed for an unchecked pit and got back to work. A sister. Something the Kaminoans swore was nonexistent. But then, how much could he honestly trust the ones who condemned any 'imperfect' cadets to who-knew-what?

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

It takes me a while—I really don't know how long; it could've been all day—to be able to think of the Umbaran kid without envisioning bloody murder. I imagine him walking up to me right now and dig my nails into the branch I'm on. Okay, maybe I need a little more time.

§ § §

I return to the others silently and start helping. No one comments or even acts like they see me. They're too smart to poke the bear just yet. I heft a man with crushed legs half on my shoulder, partially dragging and partially carrying him.

Someone jumps down the rocks and props up the man's other side. I fight down a scowl at the teenager and keep walking in cold silence. We climb to the top and put him down. I have to marvel at how he isn't dead after so much blood loss.

"Strings, got a critically injured one over here." I say through my comm. I spot him looking around for me a fair distance away. He starts heading our way and I head back into the pit. The boy follows me.

A howl from the top of the hole sounds. I draw my gun and watch a stray anooba hop down the side opposite of where we'd come in. "Run, kid." I order. This one is a lot bigger than any other. Probably an alpha male. It howls and starts loping towards us. "I said run!" I give him a shove and we start running, me slightly behind.

I suddenly turn to the side and hide behind a boulder. The anooba runs past me and I shoot from behind, taking it by surprise. It yelps and turns on me, taking more bolts to its face. It jumps and I manage to get it in they eye, killing the animal instantly.

I leap backwards to avoid being crushed. It lands on my leg, but I can easily get out from under that. I massage my sore shoulder as I walk away. Yelling from the kid puts me into a dead sprint.

_I'm such a di'kut! We killed the pack, but never got the alphas!_

I see the boy on the ground, pinned under a slightly-smaller-yet-still-very-large anooba. Alpha female, I presume. He's holding her jaws by the large tooth and nose, barely keeping them off his neck. I shoot at the creature.

She kicks the child and he rolls towards me. My gun stops firing. Out of ammo! I holster it and reach for my other gun, diving out of the alpha's way. My comm starts beeping.

"Don't worry, I got it." Is my greeting. The wolflike predator screeches when I shoot its nose.

"What is going on down there?" Someone who could only be Wolffe, judging by the strictness of his, voice demands.

"Remember that pack of anoobas we killed? We forgot about the alphas."

"Injured?" I sidestep an attempted bite and shoot the neck.

"No. They're both dead, actually." I check the boy for wounds. Bruises, no doubt, but he should be fine.

"Keep working, then." The kid gets up with a groan. He better be worth the aches I'll feel tomorrow. He smiles at me. I just stiffly nod and resume my search for survivors.

§ § §

The boy is still with me when we bunk down again. I scowl.

"If I wake up and you're cuddling me, it'll take a lot more than just Fives to hold me back." He lies down with a shrug and I slip to the other side of the group before going to sleep.

* * *

_A.N. ~ yeah, so, I'll make this fast. Twitch is coming my way, probably not in a good mood. Please review, negative and positive. The next chapter will be up within 48 hours._

Twitch:_ Angel!_

Me: g_otta go. Bye!_

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS:**

**Ad: [Ahd] child**


	47. Inspection

The kid wisely didn't push his luck with me. He won't go away, but he doesn't push it. I ignore him as I gnaw on my ration bar. Fives sits next to me.

_Someone better get rid of him, _I lip.

He pats my shoulder in a friendly way, smirking at my predicament. I give him an irritated glance as I chew. With silent consent, the squads stand and we start heading for the craters.

"I get the feeling I won't hear the end of this." I murmur. I suddenly realize I had aimed that comment at Rex and nearly face palm over my forgetfulness. Thankfully, Fives is right next to me and therefore the seeming recipient of my statement.

"Well, if Dytin were here, that would be true."

"Next person to call me sweetheart..." I mutter threateningly.

"But, I get the feeling it won't last." He waits a couple steps before continuing. "For long." I halt for a split second before resuming my pace. It's gonna be one of _those_ weeks.

§ § §

"These di'kuts won't give up." I growl as I shoot. I'm standing with my elbows propped on the edge of a pit, my legs and lower torso pressed against the cliff face. My feet are holding me up while my arms are ensuring I don't go backward.

I snipe an Umbaran rebel irritably. The kid is holding onto the rocks a few feet below me, watching with a sad expression. I can see hints of fear. As the battle progresses, he starts shaking, then further on, I can hear whimpering. "Kid, I'm sorry this is what's happening, but they've made their choice. They know fighting is inevitable when they attack us." A flash grenade almost throws me off balance. I sway precariously before catching myself. "Kriffin' di'kutla—" I stop myself before I can get into a full on tirade against the rebels. I blink, trying to refocus my blurry vision. I duck below the edge and hang there, waiting for my sight to return.

"Twitch, you're alright?" Fives, ever the caring brother, asks over a private channel.

"Oh, I'm fine. Whichever shabuir threw that flash grenade, however, is not going to have a nice day." We stop talking and get back to war. I smirk as I pull out another trigger and press the button.

A loud series of explosions go off. Just as it seems they are over, another deafening round begins. This goes on for a couple minutes. My comm is beeping by the time they're well and truly done.

"Is setting explosives all you do in your free time?" Wolffe snaps over an open channel.

"Depends on my location, sir." I say with a malicious grin. No more enemy fire is coming at us.

"We've got to find you a hobby." Fives says. I can tell it's him because of the familiarity and tone with which he speaks.

"Fighting _is_ my hobby." I reply with adrenaline-induced giddiness.

"Alright, cut the chatter and call in." The Commander orders. We one by one say our names in a predesignated order. I'm pleased to find we've had no more deaths. 1029 opens a private channel after the head count.

"A little more warning next time?"

"Sorry. Flash grenade fried my brain."

"Strings is right. YOU. ARE. INSANE!" I snigger.

"I'm not completely insane, I'm highly unpredictable. Do your research."

"Pyromaniac." I hear him mutter.

"What my nickname would be if it wasn't 'Twitch'."

"Maybe we should start looking for civvies."

"If we must." I counter teasingly before starting my climb down. The other teenager follows in silence.

§ § §

"Killer." The kid states numbly as we eat dinner. I shrug uncaringly.

"I'm a soldier. Comes with the territory."

"You aren't upset?" It looks like I've shocked him out of silence. I almost laugh at the inquiry. I'm more often than not not bothered by death and blood.

"If I cried every time someone died, I'd be a pretty useless soldier."

"But...you were happy they died?"

"I was happy they weren't shooting at us anymore. If we could've captured them instead of massacring their ranks, we would have."

"Don't you even care you've killed?" He demands.

"To be honest? I don't sleep well at night. None of us do. Do I regret the lives I've taken? Some of them. Do I feel continuing this conversation? No." He quietly eats the food an adult Umbaran had given him.

"I'm really not doing well with you, am I?" He murmurs.

"Bringing up sensitive topics and doing invasive rituals aren't very good tactics with me. Why don't we restart with your name?" He contemplates this as he chews, but nods.

"Darys. I'm Darys." My eyes narrow in recognition.

"You wouldn't happen to be the Darys in my class, would you?" He bows his head in shame and I huff irritably. "And, sending me insulting poems isn't a good call either. Just out of curiosity, what made you think I'd find favour with that?" He shrugs and stares at the ground, looking like a beaten puppy. I curse the empathetic part of me as it twists at his expression. I sigh in defeat and look at him with a gentler gaze. "Okay, okay, let's try a cin vhetin." He gives me a confused look and I almost face palm. I'm so used to talking with clones! "Clean slate." I explain. He nods, still somewhat timid.

I can't believe I'm giving him a chance to even things out. By all logical sense, I should have punched him by now. After dinner is a short amount of free time for each troop to either clean equipment, get extra sleep, or do whatever else they darn well please.

I'm all for the sleep, but this kid only has a short time before I leave. Once I'm done with my bar, I look around contently. The Commander and General Koon are talking away from the group while other troops are either still eating, sleeping, or checking their guns.

"So, your name sounds like a clone's because you are one?" Darys asks. I shrug, still in the almost trance-like state with my eyes part way lidded. I don't know how I can go down from dangerously irritable to this calm so quickly. Seeing Fives chatting it up with 1029 only increases the feeling.

This is peaceful. This is right. The comfortable way we act and work around each other is how things should be. This is the closest to a family you will see us get. I shake my head at my sentimentality, a small smile playing on my lips.

"What?" Darys asks, slightly perturbed by my sudden mood change. I see Fives and the mechanic playfully shove each other's shoulders while chuckling, causing another happy smile to cross my features.

"Nothing. This is just the calmest things have been for a while." I say serenely.

§ § §

NO P.O.V.

Twitch laid back, leaning on her elbows, the usual alert weariness now not present in her gaze. Darys sat beside her. He was still somewhat apprehensive. He didn't want to set her off, especially now that she had relaxed. Across camp, Wolffe and Plo were discussing the battle.

"It is rather strange how she seems to be able to predict where the rebels will come from." The Jedi agreed, answering a more or less anxious comment from his subordinate. "We are forgetting, however, that this isn't the first time she's been on Umbara. She very well may have grown accustomed to their tactics." The scarred soldier nearly smirked as he glanced at the relaxed child.

"She seems to have gotten used to having a shadow." He said. That was the closest he ever got to joking, so Koon humoured him.

"Yes. Mating tactics clearly aren't her area of expertise. It is a good thing Fives restrained her when he did." The Commander didn't say what he was currently thinking. It would look like he was showing favouritism.

But secretly, he knew if it wasn't for her age and temper, she would have been promoted long ago. Unfortunately for his privacy, not many emotions or notions were hidden from the Kel Dor Master.

"Who's the lucky soldier?" He asked, scanning the troops with the Commander. Wolffe wasn't very surprised his leader had picked up on his thoughts. Over the months, he had grown accustomed to it.

"It was just a thought. Nothing I'd act on." And, over the months, Plo had grown accustomed to Wolffe's personality and behavioural patterns. Therefore, he wasn't deterred by his friend's denial.

"Enlighten me, then." He crossed his arms contemplatively.

"I was just thinking, age and attitude aside, Twitch would make a good leader." He huffed slightly in amusement at his impulsive idea, but became one thousand percent serious when his General didn't share the signs of brushing it off.

He glanced to see the Jedi stroking his mask in deep thought. That look put him off. That was his _I'm deciding wether to do or say something or not_ look. What really got on his nerves was the finalized nod that said _I am doing this and not one thing is going to put me off_. Usually, that look and nod came during a battle and gave him relief. Now, he wished he was seeing anything else. "She's not ready." Wolffe said quickly.

"We will let the end result decide wether or not that is so."

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

Darys has actually been really helpful as we finish searching the last of the pits. A few gentle jokes at my expense here and there from Fives and 1029 have kept up my cheerful mood.

And, the most recent battle with the remaining rebels (yes, involving my explosives. Why do you ask?) has kept me alert. Darys wasn't too thrilled, but he hasn't remarked.

Strings has let my arm out of the sling, but advised against exerting it too much. A bandage is still wrapped around the wound.

We are (Darys and I) making our way down into one of the last pits. I slip on scree and he steadies me. He draws his hands away from my waist hurriedly, still cautious after the last time we'd touched.

"Thanks." I murmur, though I can't take back the instinctive tenseness in my abdomen that had occurred on contact. We almost immediately find an old man with a boulder pinning his arm. He's hoarsely calling out in Umbarese. "We can't lift that rock. We're going to have to roll it." I don't like that option, because it might further damage the arm, but we don't have many other choices. The General is off talking with a guy named Sly Moore. I kneel and brace myself against the rock, Darys doing the same.

"On three?" He suggests.

"One..." I agree.

"Two..." He picks up.

"Three." I jump slightly, but push with every fiber of my being. Commander Wolffe, the one who'd counted three, joins us. It's good that he has, because I don't think Darys and I could pull it off on our own. We strain, but manage to roll the large stone off the mangled limb.

The injured man cries out, begging us to stop the pain. I'd stun blast him right now if I was sure he could handle it, but I think that would push him past his limit. Wolffe hoists the Umbaran over his shoulder.

"Once we return to the Triumphant, you'll meet and take command of a squad of shinies in the hangar, Sergeant." I stand dumbstruck as he walks away.

"You're a sergeant?" Darys asks with slight admiration.

"Apparently. Wait, did he say _shinies_!?"

§ § §

Weapons, body language, expression, equipment. That's what I'm looking for so I know what I'm dealing with. I run the list through my head as the larty ascends. I'm scowling in concentration, nervous about my first command.

I'm going to have to ignore my age, my height, and any jeering remarks I hear. Not to mention that I'll have to be strict if I want a bunch of rookies to listen to me. All I can hope for is that there are a few level headed ones in the group.

"You'll do fine." Fives says assuringly.

"Thanks... But anyone who pulls a tape prank is scrubbing mechs for a week."

"Oh, yeah, she'll do fine." Wolffe says to the ARC.

§ § §

NO P.O.V.

A group of rookies stood in a group, waiting for their new sergeant. This was their first day in the 104th Battalion. They were a bit jumpy. Among them was the mechanic, the medic, the sniper, the hotheaded fighters, the completely obedient, cheerful one, and the thinkers: the scout and sniper.

There were two thinkers, two hotheads, and one each for the last four categories. The seven men shifted, waiting for the larties to return.

Twitch had been told by her Commander that the next stop was on a planet called Terrisk. The locals were cold and hard. The planet itself was fitting for its population, as the landscape consisted of rocks and mist.

Separatists were rumoured to be on Terrisk, or more accurately, _in_. They were mining, though for what, no one was sure. She had also been told her squad members' names and where they would be sleeping.

To the rookies' relief, the main hangar door opened and the LAAT/i gunships filed in. The shinies organized themselves into a line, standing at attention with their helmets neatly tucked under their left arms.

Meanwhile, Twitch was taking a few last-minute deep breaths and straightening her face. Soon it was an expressionless mask that unnerved even Fives.

_She is _definitely_ going to do fine, _Wolffe told himself.

He still had his misgivings, but General Koon thought it was a good idea, so he had no objections. They landed and the door opened. Twitch took one last steadying breath before walking out.

And so, the shinies had the first glimpse of their sergeant. Battle weary, dirt smeared, stern faced and a blood-stained bandage on her left shoulder with a scar crossing her right eye.

At first, they didn't know that this was Sergeant Twitch, but as she continued to make a beeline for them with every inch of her posture screaming _authority_, they soon realized just who this kid was.

They stiffened as much as they could, looking straight ahead dutifully. The young girl stood with her hands clasped behind her back, looking them over slowly and carefully. Her weary, unusual golden eyes and tousled black hair added to the fresh-from-a-fight appearance.

The thinkers remained gazing straight ahead. The mechanic, out of his natural curiosity for things and people and how they work, stole a glance out of his eye's corner. The hotheads openly gawked, yet the medic wisely only snuck a peak once. The sniper's eyes darted to her quickly every now and then.

Twitch locked eyes with the hotheads, glaring with a surprisingly forceful scowl until they fell in line. She resumed giving them a thorough inspection before nodding.

"We have barrack 12-D. Get some rest and be here by oh seven hundred tomorrow. I will brief you then. Dismissed." They saluted with loud 'sir, yes, sir!'s before filing off. Once they were out of view, Twitch relaxed and sighed.

"Not bad." Wolffe stepped out from behind several crates.

"Commander." She greeted, straightening. Usually, a commander wouldn't watch an inspection, which meant, to Twitch that he didn't trust her. She forced down her irritation.

Wolffe had seen the momentary flash of emotion.

Honestly, Twitch was thinking, _how does he do it all the time?!_, in regards to commanding troops.

She was surprised at how much energy it took to keep up an air and the composure of an authoritative figure.

"You and I have a strategy meeting with the General and other officers." He said with a near-smirk. Twitch inwardly groaned at the thought of the boring meetings and arguments ahead of her as a sergeant.

_I don't know how Rex did it_, she thought to herself as she walked with the Commander to a turbo lift.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

My brain really hurts after memorizing the plan and where my squad fits in, what to do, et cetera. I sigh tiredly as I trudge to the Mess. When I walk in I brighten up and feign alertness. I don't have the luxury of showing exhaustion anymore.

I missed dinner, but someone must've notified the droids that there was a meeting, because I still get my food. I sit down in the back of the scantily filled room and eat quietly.

After my meal, I go to the our barrack, depositing my guns in a cubby before putting on a small device similar to an ear-comlink and setting it to wake me at oh six hundred. **(Don't know if those exist in Star Wars or anywhere else. I doubt it.)** I get into a bunk, at the front, as my new rank allows, and almost instantly drift off.

§ § §

"We're going in behind Wolfpack to provide cover fire along with two other squads. We are mainly trying to not be noticed until we can confirm we have enough men with us to take out all the droids down in the mine. If not, we wait for reinforcements before proceeding. We don't have a complete map of the area, so we're going in partially blind. Either way, we are taking those mines." I say, explaining the plan to my squad.

Bark, one of the more violent-prone of the group, has a vicious light in his eyes. He'll need to be handled carefully so as not to become too monstrous. A little craziness works just fine, depending on how you use it. All out killer-blitz, however, not so much.

Fritz, the mechanic (I know, his name doesn't bode well), is lost in deep thought. Once I'm sure everyone is still following, I continue.

"Keep in mind, we're going to be underground. Don't use detonators. Droid poppers are a lot less likely to cause a cave in. Hopefully, you already knew that." I look over everyone as they chime an affirmative. There've been twelve or so too many cave ins throughout this war.

My face is again stern and expressionless. I glance behind me to see the other squads starting to get on the gunships. "Good. Now get on that larty and let's show those droids how real soldiers fight."

"Sir, yes, sir!" They start getting into the LAAT/i gunship, followed by me and the other two squads who are taking the front with Wolfpack. The ride down is relatively smooth, so I don't bother with grabbing a handle. The landing jolts me a little, but I don't mind. It's a good secondary wakeup call.

The door opens and we step out, looking around in the mist nervously. The General, Wolffe, and the Pack are already down. The larties continue swiftly dropping off the troops until a full platoon is standing together.

I look around at the chilly mist and rocks appreciatively. This is my kind of terrain. I generally prefer places where I can slip in and out of sight easily. Not to mention the rocks giving advantages and disadvantages and something to throw. I love planets like this. Or at least, I usually do. Now I have a squad to take care of whose members don't fight like me.

"Roger roger." A monotone voice drones behind me. I whip around, unsheathing my arm-blades. I stop millimetres from Fives' neck. Some people, however, do use the poor visibility to their advantage.

"You are one lucky di'kut." I growl as I relax. He glances at my arm, and I can bet he's smirking under that visor of his.

"I knew you'd stop in time." He says sweetly.

"Yeah, like I said; lucky. Don't you have a pack to be in?"

"Yes, ma'am." He teases while walking away.

"Roger, roger." I cross my arms and huff.

"Don't push it, shiny." After Fives pulled it, I know what a fake voice through a clone's filtered helmet sounds like.

"All squads, move out." Wolffe orders over the comm. My squad goes back and to the right of the Commander's squad, then another of the frontal assaults to their left and one lastly just behind. Our four squads would make a diamond shape were a line drawn from group to group.

We creep along silently, working our way towards the mine's entrance. It isn't hard to tell we've found it when two surprised B1s get shot down suddenly. Tail, one of my squad members, and apparently an excellent scout, and a thinker, is sent along with Sneak and Stripe, two other scouts, to get an idea of how many droids we're up against.

I wait nervously. True to nature, my squad and I have already started feeling protective of each member. I review the plan in my head and worriedly start checking my equipment. I catch myself and put up a reassuring air, forcing a confident expression to cover my face.

I really hope this body language will become habitual. Unfortunately, I'm still me and can't help but act as my name implies. I'm itching for a fight, but can't do it until we get the go ahead.

I spend the time examining the battle droids we'd shot down. Unusual black paint is marking them. Scrap only holds so much interest for me, though, so I'm back to ground zero and getting jumper by the minute.

I keep a close tab on Fives so he doesn't startle me again. With my nerves fraying this fast, I'm not sure if I could stop a reaction in time or not. After almost a hour, the scouts reappear. Apparently, we have enough troops, but this will be a tough battle. I'm all for it. I just have to keep in mind there are other troops that I'm responsible for.

* * *

_A.N. ~ I'm fully aware that Twitch is far too young to be a sergeant, but I wanted her to have a promotion. Therefore, she will have a promotion. Please review, positively or critically. The next chapter will be up within 48 hours. (Sorry for sounding like a broken record.)_

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS: **

**Cin Vhetin: [SEEN-fett-EEN] fresh start, clean slate (Literally; white field, virgin snow)**


	48. Pyro Squad

NO P.O.V.

Wolffe, judging by the upcoming battle, was not sure about Twitch. He considered replacing her with a more experienced and older soldier (unbeknownst to him Twitch had more experience than most of his men). But, that would give the impression that he didn't trust her and therefore make the chances of her rookie squad obeying her fall to almost nonexistent.

Down in the mines, droids were cutting away, searching for a rare material. They dared not leave the planet empty handed, fearing their General's wrath if they should fail.

At the entrance, the squads of clones followed Plo Koon into the tunnel. Twitch was nervous going underground after her last experiences of doing so. Lights gave them some visibility. Droids did not need them because they had night vision, but it saved them some recharging time.

As they crept deeper, the worse Twitch's memories became as she recalled the glowing red lightsaber illuminating hateful eyes, then Shiny's crushed legs. No, she did not like being underground. They ran into a group of droids. One ducked behind its comrades and started calling into its comm.

"Attack! Attack! Nyaaaa..." It went down under fire with a sad cry.

"Be on guard. They know we are here." Plo said forbiddingly. Twitch tightened her grip on her guns. A group of nearby commando droids had heard the desperate plea for help. They went to investigate, and seeing the clones, radioed for backup. They knew they could not let the Republican troops reach the deeper levels, at any cost. They had to stop them, even if it was mechanical suicide.

They spun into sight, the five brave and kamikazical droids facing a small army alone with back up still five minutes away. They at first went straight for the Jedi, knowing the clones would not shoot if it risked their General, when, to their surprise, a young girl blindsided their group.

Two broke off to engage her while the remaining three continued to charge the Kel Dorian. Twitch's rookie squad thought she was going to be killed for sure, but they had yet to see her in battle.

She fought with proverbial tooth and nail, blocking their shots and vibroswords with her arm-blades and shooting with her guns. Her left arm was somewhat weak from its injury, but she was still a sight to behold while spinning and twisting with her enemies in a complicated combat style. Very soon, all droids were destroyed.

Twitch forced down a grin at the fight and returned to the front of her squad.

_Clank. _

Everyone froze at the sound of uniform metal footsteps falling in unison.

_Clank. _

Koon redrew his lightsaber and Twitch took up a protective stance in front of the shinies. Bark and Dinger (the second hothead) resented it, but most everyone else didn't mind having someone who could block laser bolts in front of them.

_Clank. _

Everyone started dispersing to the edges of the cave and behind the tall pillars of jagged black rock that resembled stalagmites and stalactites.

"Tail." Twitch prompted the levelheaded scout.

"Yes, ma'am?" She was secretly pleased that he'd used the proper title that corresponded with her gender, but pushed that to the back of her mind. "Keep everyone's heads on straight until I get back. Oh, and lend me a droid popper?" He handed over a small orb and she belted it.

"Where are you going, ma'am?" She actually smiled, something he hadn't expected from her. He'd only seen the stern poker face she'd always worn around other troops. Now, the battle-adrenaline-rush was loosening her up.

"Somewhere that's going to really convince Strings I'm crazy." She started scurrying up the pillar they were hidden behind. The roof was full of bumps and jags of the black stone, not to mention high enough so that she was virtually invisible in her tight black body suit.

She held on to the spires of stone with her hands forty feet from the cave floor, swinging like an orangutang to an indent kind of like a mini-cave in the roof just big enough for her to kneel in without holding on to anything. How she'd seen it from the other end of the cave was anyone's guess.

All Twitch cared about was that it was an easy place to avoid fire from, she was hard to see, and in this position, she could hit the droids from behind. In a minute, the droids entered the cave, not at first seeing the hidden troopers until a quarter way in.

The clones opened fire, Twitch taking potshots from her hiding spot. The second a droid looked up, her head would retreat out of view. When the super battle droids arrived, she tossed her droid popper smack dab in the middle of them and and watched several go down.

Between the clones' continuous fire and Twitch's sniping, the enemy ranks dwindled to nothing. Sneak checked up ahead through the next tunnel to be sure no more reinforcements were coming, then returned with the all clear.

Twitch came out of hiding and started making her way back to the pillar, but Koon saved time by Force-lifting her to the ground. Her hands had beads of blood on them from various cuts, but she looked ready for action, regardless.

"I knew it. You're crazy." Strings muttered as they moved out again. Twitch gave Tail an _I told you so _look before replying.

"Yeah, but I use it pretty well." Her bleeding hands didn't convince the medic. They came to a three-way split in the tunnel. A lieutenant took a third of the platoon while Wolffe and Plo took the other half each and split up. This was where the map had stopped and the fun started.

Twitch and her squad went to the left with a lieutenant. The farther they went, the more nervous Twitch got. She remembered Fives' claustrophobia and hoped he was holding on alright. Last time they were in a tunnel, he had squeezed her shoulder until the Vulcan Effect took hold and she'd almost passed out.

Now she wished she had someone to hold on to as thoughts of an ambush played through her mind. When she thought about it, she found it wasn't so much her safety she worried about (she knew she could most likely survive or escape an attack), but her squad's.

They weren't experienced, they couldn't block laser bolts. She almost slapped herself. Yes, they were inexperienced, but they were trained for war as well. She didn't have to babysit them.

They entered into a vast cave the size of three football stadiums. **(Yes, I know there isn't football in Star Wars. I'm wording it so _you_ know how big it is.)** There were narrow chasms spider webbed throughout the floor that dropped off into streams far below.

Everything froze. All the droids, all the clones. Even the chattering water seemed to slow as the two parties saw each other. Then, all at once, things returned to normal speed.

"Take cover!" The Lieutenant ordered. The droids stopped what they were doing and took out their guns, the clones all broke apart in their separate squads and claimed spots as their own. Red and blue flashed back and forth between the opposing parties.

Twitch sorely wished they were above ground so she could use detonators. In the mist, it would have been a simple matter to sneak up and drop the explosives around the droids before slipping away and blowing them all to kingdom come.

But now, she had no option but to get her squad to cover and shoot from there. A lot of security as well as miners were there, meaning whatever it was the Separatists were trying to keep hidden from them was close.

Decker, yet another of the thinkers, and also the medic, threw a droid popper and watched it bounce off a droid's head. Two B1s fell. Three commando droids appeared and Twitch engaged them in an all out frenzy.

Her battle-lust was kicking in, though she did have a bit of trouble with the acrobatic droids. While she was occupied, the clones fought the droids, neither party willing to give an inch of ground to the other.

Twitch cartwheeled into a backward spring that evolved to backflips before landing with one leg straight, the other bent, a hand steadying her and her left arm blocking two vibroswords. The limb shivered with effort.

She swept around in a circle with her leg still out and knocked one commando off its feet. She quickly shot it before continuing in a deadly dance with the last one. She crossed her arms in an X to block a powerful downstroke of the commando's sword. They became deadlocked, straining against each other.

A particularly stupid battle droid shot at them and Twitch pivoted, forcing the commando in between her and the laser bolts. It fell to the ground, struck down by one of its own.

The Sergeant saw how thin the droids' ranks had become. Honestly, there were just a few stragglers left who were carefully remaining in cover only to shoot at any who attempted to advance.

She started jogging toward the nearest one, blocking bolts as she drew nearer before slicing the droid in half. She was pinned behind the column of stone by too much enemy fire.

The clones slowly but surely managed to get the droid's attention again before Twitch stealthily snuck up to and killed the last of them. She noticed something gleaming in a pillar where a droid had been excavating.

On closer examination, she saw it was silvery ore of some kind. She was about to touch it when a hand grabbed hers. She started and looked at Decker with curiosity.

"It's poisonous. Don't touch it." Even a rookie medic still had overall authority when peoples' health was concerned.

"Thanks for the warning... You can let go now." He jerked out of thought and released her hand.

"Sorry." He turned on his comm. "Lieutenant, the droids were mining cortosis." Twitch didn't know what it was. Through his HUD's analyzer, though, Decker knew it was an extremely rare material that could short out a lightsaber on contact. He also knew if bare skin touched it, he/she would die. In all, it wasn't a good thing that Separatists had found a deposit of the rare ore.

"That's not going to please the General." The medic muttered to himself while the Lieutenant contacted Koon.

"I'm short a HUD. What is cortosis, in brief." Twitch asked.

"In its pure form, it's deadly if you touch it with bare skin. In fact, we're all likely to be a bit sick after this much exposure to the dust." The young sergeant subconsciously rubbed her hand as though it had actually touched the dangerous metal. "It can only be mined with a hydraulic jack because of its toughness, and it can short out a lightsaber for a few minutes if the two come into contact." Now Twitch was the one who wasn't pleased. All they could hope for was that not too much of the dangerous metal had been shipped off.

§ § §

True to Decker's words, everyone was starting to feel queazy. A few of the weaker-stomached men had even thrown up into the chasms. Twitch was fighting to keep her stomach's contents down.

This was as far as their tunnel went. End of the line. They were waiting for the General to call back, as he was in a heated fight. Several minutes later, the young clone couldn't hold it down anymore and slipped away from the others to heave into a stream far below.

She spotted the Lieutenant a fair ways off, doing the same. Twitch ate a bit of a ration bar to absorb the acid roiling around in her stomach. It helped a little, but she was still getting a headache and upset stomach. At last, Plo Koon spoke over the main comm channel.

"All forces, return to the surface. Do not touch any of the silver ore the droids were mining." The squads immediately formed up and left.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I almost upchuck a few times as we ascend through the tunnels. I'm still feeling tingles of fear at how close I came to fatal poisoning. Logic says I'd have been given an antidote before I died, but my emotions will play themselves out wether I like it or not.

That ore's ability, though, still disturbs me. I mean, short-circuiting lightsabers? Not good. We rejoin the other squads at the intersection, then continue on our way back up.

Reaching the surface is a great relief, right down to the chilly dampness of the mist. I see Fives slipping away to vomit. Claustrophobia plus stomach-upsetting poison equals one very unhappy ARC trooper. I look my squad over quickly.

"If you need to throw up, it's best to do it now." I say, trying to copy Koon's way of suggesting instead of ordering. They shuffle, trying to be the big brave troopers who aren't fazed by anything, but eventually give in and disperse into the mist before regrouping a few minutes later.

I'd emptied my stomach back in the caves. Jax and Wing were of the last to return. Not a good start to their career as soldiers. First mission and they get poisoned. At least we didn't lose anyone.

§ § §

NO P.O.V.

Plo Koon stood in the communications room on the Triumphant, explaining the situation to the Jedi Council and Supreme Chancellor.

"That is indeed troubling. You're sure it was cortosis?" Palpatine queried.

"Yes, Chancellor Palpatine, it is certain. The affect on my men was swift. I'm not sure any of them left Terrisk without being sick." He added the last part with mild amusement and sympathy.

"This ore is dangerous. We should destroy the caves and make it inaccessible to either Separatist _or_ Republicans." Mace Windu stated with sheer conviction.

"But might we not use it to our advantages? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression the ore was quite harmless after being refined." Palpatine said.

"True, that is. But dangerous is the ore's powers. Distorts the Force it does, and disable a lightsaber, it can." Yoda intervened.

"Then, with your permission, Chancellor, we shall destroy the mine, and seal it so no one may reconstruct or enter it again." Plo said. Palpatine sighed disappointedly.

"If that is what you truly believe best, by all means, proceed." He conceded reluctantly.

"Thank you, Chancellor Palpatine. It is regrettable that we can not use the cortosis, but destroying the mine is the safest option at the moment." Obi-Wan Kenobi reassured. And so Plo bowed in respect to the Council and Chancellor before ending the transmission.

§ § §

Later, in the caves, Twitch was helping and observing as the explosives were placed. Thoughts and maps were flying through her head at a dizzying pace as she calculated and envisioned what would happen how, when, and where. She had paused too long, however, because the nearby and watching Jedi took notice and walked over.

"Is there a problem, Sergeant?" Koon asked.

"No, sir. Just...we're trying to make sure no one gets back in, correct?" He nodded.

"What is your point?" Twitch hesitated, but a light of interest and focus entered her eyes and she started talking.

"Well, it's just that the cortosis is especially hard to cut through, so wouldn't arranging the bombs to spread it out make drilling back in harder?"

"What makes you so sure the pieces and dust won't do just that?" Plo challenged, intrigued more than trusting.

"These explosives pack just enough punch to break apart and send rocks flying, but the way they've been placed will send the wrong pieces to the wrong places. I...I don't know how I know, I just do. It's like a holo vid inside my head." She broke off self consciously.

The Kel Dorian Jedi could sense her certainty, though an underlying doubt at wether this was just her imagination or actually valid was haunting her mind. Koon decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and try things her way. It didn't make much difference where the bombs were placed anyway, seeing how they were shooting in the dark already.

"Very well. How do you think the bombs should be placed?"

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

The ground trembles as the explosions go off.

"Pyromaniac. And crazy. Remind me why you had us reset those explosives?" 1029 startles me, walking up from behind. I appreciate the familiar way he talks to me.

"Because the way they'd been wouldn't have spread out the cortosis in a way that would prevent anyone from drilling back in." I explain.

"Py-ro-man-i-ac." He sounds out teasingly.

"Why don't you just paint the word on your helmet so you stop saying it? Really, you're going to break a galactic record or something." I huff, irritated and amused by his jesting. He starts tracing letters with his finger on his bucket and I chuckle. No wonder he and Fives get along so well.

§ § §

NO P.O.V.

Plo Koon had several troopers scanning out the area where the mine had spread out. They all reported that amounts of cortosis ore were spread out in just a way that prevented downward progress anywhere within the original mine. He was curious and surprised to see that Twitch had been right in her placement of the bombs.

"Intriguing." He murmured to himself, cupping his right elbow in his left hand and running his fingers over his mask in deep thought.

"Sir?" The sweeper who had reported in was completely lost on his General's interest.

"It seems Sergeant Twitch's placement of the bombs was correct after all."

§ § §

Word spread like wildfire of the strange intuitiveness of the young sergeant during the cave in project. This interest subsequently dug up the story of her use of detonators back on Umbara. Someone even managed to squeeze 1029 until he told about the popper/detonator project Twitch had been working on before her promotion.

Fives' mention of her hijacking rocket launchers on Umbara also got around. It wasn't long before Twitch's squad was branded for life (or at least until disbandment) as Pyro Squad.

Twitch was both irked and pleased by the name. She tried to show indifference, but sometimes a certain tone or momentary break in expression would hint at her thoughts. Fives, known as Twitch's long-time friend, was continuously pushed for more times the young girl had made use of explosives and heavy artillery. Stories were demanded, but he refused to tell them anything more than what they already knew.

He recognized his sister's body language whenever her past or squad name were brought up. He could see the questions and prying were getting to her. Most would miss the signs.

In fact, the only way they were noticeable was if you'd spent a lot of time around her. Fives could always tell when she was irritated. The ever-so-slight narrowing of her golden eyes, the two-or-less-millimetre jerk her fingers might make if she was _really_ annoyed.

Even her tone could speak volumes. (Pun unintended.) A minuscule lowering of her tone's pitch might indicate her angst, or the sharper edge deeply embedded in her voice that could be noticed if you were looking for it. That edge was identifiable only if you'd heard it at a louder volume. Therefore, only he ever noticed it when it appeared.

Maybe a few members of Wolfpack recognized it from her rant at the young Umbaran, but most troops just didn't know it was there. Fives had to admit he was impressed. Before her promotion, Twitch had always made it easy to tell when she was irritated. Much more clear signs had been given. Yet, now, she hid her emotions behind a stern, blank face that only had small chinks in its figurative armour now and then.

She'd even joked to him during lunch in the Mess Hall once that the next person to ask her a question was going to be threatened a court marshal. He had then impishly asked her what her favourite colour was.

She'd punched his arm hard enough to make it go numb in the one spot before curtly answering; _blue_. He almost asked wether that had something to do with a certain legion, but decided not to push her.

After all, her eyes had narrowed by a microscopic width and her left hand, which had been resting on the table, had clenched ever so subtly. He did not want to risk another bruised arm.

* * *

_A.N. ~ I seriously doubt any human without powerful Force sensitivity would be able to pull off what Twitch did in the mine, but I thought it was time to add another unique talent to her toolbox. (And no, Twitch is not Force sensitive.) _

_Please review, positive or critical. The next chapter will be up within 48 hours._


	49. Fighter's Flight

A.N. ~ seven chapters mean that I should remind you; I don't own Star Wars. I only own my ONs. I stole the design for the Separatist outpost from the third episode in Season 2, 'Children Of The Force'. My creativity reserves are fizzing out.

Some gory parts are up ahead, so unless you're alright with reading about someone being literally ripped apart, don't go on. Enjoy the story!

* * *

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

'You've been away awhile.' Darys comments as the teacher rambles on about Naboo weather patterns.

'Ugh, yeah. Things've been crazy since I took over Pyro Squad.' I'm relaxing in the barracks. One full day of travel before we reach our destination.

'Pyro Squad?' I can almost see him raising an eyebrow.

'My use of explosives before and after my most recent visit to Umbara has caught up to me. I'm assigning maintenance to the next person who asks me about my past.'

'Sounds busy. Where are you going now?'

'Cant say the planet's name, but we're finding and destroying a Separatist outpost. The terrain is a mixed blessing.'

'How is there a blessing in the terrain?'

'For one, we aren't going into caves. Two, it's easy to hide detonators and not hazardous to set them off. And three, given the landscape, it's easy to slip in and out of sight, plus all the good cover if a firefight breaks out.'

'It's no wonder you're a sergeant.' He says.

'Is to me. I'm just a kid soldier.'

'Who can take on two massive anoobas and end a battle in three minutes flat.'

'Well, aren't you the flatterer. And I know plenty of guys who could do that.'

'They wouldn't happen to have their own commands, would they?'

'A few, but some are bounty hunters and others don't even have a category to fit in to.' I yawn and stretch before checking the time. 'I have a strategy meeting in twenty minutes. Gotta go.'

'Do you even take school seriously?'

'Nope. It's just where I chat with other kids and pass tests so I'm holding up my half of a bargain. Bye!'

'Bye.' I turn off and slip the datapad under my pillow.

§ § §

I walk into the briefing room and take a seat in the back where I still have a clear view of the large hologram of Mustafar. A couple more clones walk in and Koon begins.

"Given the heavy artillery of this outpost, an airstrike is not an option." Nothing new there. He zooms into show a region of the planet. A green line snakes along, two dots on either end. The Jedi points to the right one. "This is our drop point. And this, is our target." He redirects his finger to the left dot. "We will travel on foot to the outpost. It is located over a volcanic lake. Once we are there, Pyro Squad will move in with detonators and destroy the supports, sending the building into the lava. All other units will provide cover fire and destroy any escaping droids. Pyro Squad will be vulnerable to attack, so we must draw the droids' attention."

I clench my teeth ever so slightly at the name of my squad, but the sting is tempered by my pleasure at the thought of setting the whole thing to blow. There are quiet murmurs and glances between friends, questioning wether such an inexperienced squad should play such an important role. Oh, them of little faith.

§ § §

I shoulder my pack. It's filled with detonators and topped with a pair of heat-resistant gloves in my size. Wing, Jax, Tail, Fritz, Decker, Dinger, and Bark all have similar packs, though their gloves are bigger and go up to their elbows.

I show them a hologram of the outpost with a hand-held holoprojector and zoom in on the part overhanging the lava lake.

"Decker, Fritz, and Bark, you three are with me right here." I sweep my free hand around our area. I move to one of the long, horizontal supports running just away from the edge of the cliff. "Wing, Tail, Jax and Dinger, you are taking out either of these supports. Place the bombs here," I point to one of the small towers at the end of a tube, "and here." I gesture to the structure across from its twin. "If you go in pairs, we'll be done that much faster. And be careful. You won't have any climbing gear handy, meaning you lose your grip, you're going for a swim in the eight hundred degree lava. Everyone clear on the plan?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" I get the feeling I'm going to get very tired of hearing those two words.

"When we rendezvous with the other forces, check in so I know you're there. Last thing we need is to blow each other up." We get on the waiting larty. Due to the temperature shifts and erratic air currents, it's a bumpy ride. I almost lose my balance before my hand shoots up and grasps a handle.

I'm dressed in my usual full body black suit minus sleeves, gloves and a head garment. I really like this outfit. It's so easy to hide in. Especially where we're going. I'll blend in easily, which is more than I can say for the noticeable white-armoured troops. Well, my white gauntlets don't help, but they're my only exception. I need some black paint.

"Can't find a landing spot. You're going to have to jump." The pilot crackles over the comm.

"That's fine. Just get as low as you can." I reply. I feel us stop our descent and the doors open. I look down. A four foot drop is waiting for us. I hop out onto a black island of lava rock. I break into a coughing fit as the smoke hits my lungs.

I'll have about eighteen hours before I pass out from smoke inhalation and roughly thirty hours before asphyxiation. Or at least, that would be the case if I didn't have a breath mask. I have a bandolier slung from my left shoulder to my right hip with twenty air canisters strapped to it. The other clones' helmets will protect them.

I strap on the mask and take a few deep breaths. Ten klicks to travel. I glance at my squad before setting my shoulders. This is going to get warm. I'm already breaking a sweat.

§ § §

NO P.O.V.

Twitch held on to the cliff face with her gloved hands, reaching to a support before placing a detonator just where the metal beam and stone met. Decker, Fritz and Bark were doing the same, working from the middle out with their explosives.

At the left structure that connected to the main building with a thick metal tube, Wing and Jax were placing bombs right where the tower connected to the cliff. Dinger and Tail were doing the same at the right tower.

They finished just as the other pair did and started hurrying back to the others, carefully placing their feet so as not to slip and fall to their deaths. At the middle of the pipes, they paused long enough to place two more detonators per support before making it the rest of the way.

They put the last of their bombs where the supports met the building. They'd had to use a lot of detonators, and everyone's packs were empty, except for the one detonator Jax had left.

"Aright, let's get out of here before someone notices the fifty some gifts we've left." Twitch snickered. Tail had seen her loosen up during the last mission, but the others were having their first taste of the Sergeant's personality. They exchanged glances, though Wing was the first to recover.

He was carefree, enthusiastic, eager to please and obedient. Those who had been in training had given him his nickname because of his habit to 'wing it' when things didn't go as planned. Now, the young clone sniggered.

"Wish we could send them a 'hi there' note just before the bombs go off." Everyone chuckled at that.

"Okay, hehe, we better go. The General isn't going to distract them for long." Twitch ordered through a giggle. The squad started shimmying their way back to the open ledge before dragging themselves and each other up.

"Hey!" A B1 yelped. Twitch knocked it over and pinned it in a few swift movements. She ripped out its comm.

"Fritz, how fast are you at reprogramming?"

§ § §

Inside the outpost, a commander droid and yellow-marked B1 were issuing orders. The door opened and a beaten up looking droid stumbled in. Sparks were shooting from the side of its head.

Meanwhile, Twitch and her squad had made it back to the other forces and they started withdrawing from the outpost. Inside the base, the commander droid looked at the malfunctioning droid.

"27-63, damage assessment." The unfortunate B1 handed him a small slip of paper. On it was a sketch of the troll face meme.

"Pyro Squad says 'hi there'." The reprogrammed droid stated once. The last detonator Jax had had, planted inside the droid, exploded.

Back outside, Twitch activated the bombs. She and the seven men under her were fighting down evil cackles, as they had set a timer on the droid and knew it had said and done just as they wanted, where they wanted.

Droids began to flood out of the base, but they were disorganized and shot down easily. While Fritz had been reprogramming the captive B1, Twitch had scrounged up a piece of paper she always kept on her in case she needed it, along with a pencil in one holster.

They knew they could get in trouble for the extra couple minutes it took them to finish up, but right then, it was worth it. A commando went after Twitch, and during the fight, it damaged her mask so she had to remove it.

She had killed it, taken off the mask, and gone into a hacking fit as the excessive smoke once again stung her throat. By the time the outpost was sunk and all remaining droids dealt with, she was lightheaded and coughing constantly. It was all still worth it.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I'm still coughing when we step out of the larty. It's like I have feathers in my chest. I wheeze into the crook of my elbow. Fekking commando droid.

"Sir—uh, ma'am, maybe you should report to the med bay." Decker catches himself. I quickly sum things up. Refusing may damage his confidence, but he also needs to learn how to put his foot down. My silence seems to encourage him, however. "Ma'am, you need to go to the medical bay. Now." There it is. I smirk at my thought chain and nod.

"Tell the others to get some rest for me. Good job out there." He brightens at the praise and salutes.

"Right away, ma'am." He says. Med bay. Right.

§ § §

I walk out of the medical bay, leaving a very vexed looking medic behind. At least I can breathe without coughing again. I head straight for the Mess Hall and get my food, sitting customarily in the back, alone.

That was what, a day, two days of missed school? Yeah, two days sounds about right. I'd be so much more devastated if I cared. I'm a clone. Clones don't go to school. We fight, we spend our lives in the military.

We don't need to know the line of succession for all the supreme chancellors, or the philosophy on how the universe came to be. No clone has ever gone to school, and I don't want to do it either.

It's like Kenobi thinks I'll leave the army again. Or that I'd be released or kicked out. I almost shudder at the thought. Nope. Do not want to go rogue again. I eat my food restlessly. I need a good fight.

Unfortunately, I only have a short amount of time to sleep before the next strategy meeting. And then it's off to Malsek to deal with some other Separatist threat.

§ § §

"Agh!" Wing goes down under an electrified net. I swiftly start cutting him loose, ignoring the jolts pulsing through me at every stroke of my arm. The rest of Pyro Squad begins forming a protective circle.

The thick forest is making it hard to see where the ambush came from. This wasn't a droid's work, though. I toss away the net and let Decker check his comrade over.

"Unconscious, but he'll live." I nod. A net suddenly ensnares the medic as well. I cut the weights off and throw the mesh back where it had come from.

"Decker?" I press my index and middle fingers against his neck. He weakly groans, clearly unable to get up. We are one of the flanking squads, supposed to hit the droids from the side. Radio silence was ordered. I know I could get in deep trouble for it, and yet I need to warn everyone about the nets. "Tail, get to the General and tell him what's going on." I order, praying he'll make it.

No sooner does he start running than a net ensnares him. I move to help him when several more nets take down Bark, Dinger, Jax, and Fritz. One hits me from behind and I fall, struggling against the painful current as it drags me out of awareness.

§ § §

I wake up in a stone cave shaped like a dome. I almost laugh in frustration.

"Underground. Where _else_ would they take us?" I growl as I stand up. I'm the only one here. Where's my squad? I look around, heart jumping into my throat. I make a grab for my comm, but my gauntlets are gone, leaving only my black sleeves to cover my arms.

"Welcome to the Fighter's Flight. You have one hour to save your friends. Begin." Someone says through an overhead comm. stone grating against stone rings through the room as seven sections of the wall rise, opening into dark tunnels.

I hate walking blindly into things, but I get the feeling there won't be a Pyro Squad in one hour if I don't get my shebs moving. I decide to start on the far right and work my way from there. Seven squad members, seven doors.

I run as quickly as I can without light. My arms are in front of me as I jog. I stop abruptly. Running blind. So many different things could happen. Spikes, traps, anything. I continue more slowly, still speed walking.

I come into a large room. In the middle, a beam of light illuminates Wing. His helmet is by his feet, and he's hanging from chains wrapped around his arms. His legs are tightly bound by more chains over a small stone island.

This is way too easy. It isn't as simple as _walk over to him and get him down._ I break a fist-sized chunk of stone off the brittle wall and toss it ahead of me. The rock here is weak.

Something flies right where it had landed. An arrow. Would have gone straight through me if I'd stepped there. Wing's short-cropped black hair is stained with red. He most likely woke up and fought our captors. I throw a new rock on the same spot and see another arrow go by.

If I look carefully, I can see a honeycomb pattern on the floor. Each hexagon is a pressure pad with a painting on it. Gas bombs, arrows, explosions, so many other lethal things. I see one that depicts arrows flying at a chained figure.

One wrong step and either me or Wing are dead. I see blank slates. I toss a rock onto one. Nothing happens. Duds, stepping stones, right now I say 'blessing'.

_How much time have I wasted already?_

"Fifty five minutes remaining." A voice drones.

_Oh. That much._

The noise has woken up Wing. He looks around nervously.

"Sarge? What's going on?" He calls, looking around wildly. "Sarge?" Panic is edging his voice.

"Cool it, Wing. I can get to you." I snap. I jump to the nearest dud, then to the next. Soon my momentum can't be stopped and I have to look and leap at the same time. I make it to him, gasping out of sheer relief. I start freeing his legs. I can't reach his arms, though. I curse my height.

"I'm going to—"

"Fifty minutes remaining." The timer interrupts me.

"I'm going to get the others and come back for you. Think you can hold on until I get back?" He nods.

"Sarge, can I have my helmet back, please?" I place his bucket back on. I get back to the tunnel and dash back to the main cave, then go to the one just after Wing's tunnel. I pause and use a jagged piece of rock to draw a white 'W' in front of Wing's opening.

Then, I go through the next tunnel and stop at the opening. Bark is on a table with his arms and legs strapped down with leather restraints. What's the trap here? No tiles on the floor, nothing apparent on the walls or ceiling.

I toss a rock ahead of me and watch it light up a web of lasers that cut it in half. I count up to about sixty seconds before the lasers lose their visibility. Meaning, I have to move fast. I shove a couple rocks into each empty holster on my belt before tossing a third out.

I start weaving and jumping my way past the beams. They flicker out just when I have one last jump. I carefully pull out and throw one rock. The lasers light up and I make it the rest of the way. The two halves of the rock made it with me, so I holster them before untying Bark.

"Forty five minutes left. Give up yet?" I almost cuss them out, but I don't want to aggravate them when they could kill any of us right now.

"No. Thanks for the time update." I say shortly. I shake Bark awake and he groans.

"Sarge, what happened?"

"The squad is trapped throughout these tunnels and we have forty four minutes left to get everyone free. Now get ready to dodge some lasers." He puts on his helmet as I toss a stone and the trap lights up.

We start working our way back, freezing halfway through until I get visibility back up. On the other side, we sigh. I lead the way back and draw an 'X' in front of that tunnel.

I take him back to Wing and we mange to get him free. Thirty minutes left to save everyone else. We split up. I find Fritz, looking at the surrounding room with terror-filled eyes.

"Sarge, don't come farther. You'll get electrocuted. Fine lines." I look around and note the nearly invisible strings. Fritz is anchored to the floor, resting on his knees. I can't throw a rock in case a strand is pulled into the mechanic.

I notice a square in the wall and pull on it. A slab of rock falls away. Wires are underneath.

"Fritz, I have no idea what I'm doing. You'll have to talk me through this." He looks scared at the thought.

"But I might get you killed! What if—"

"What if you're just worrying over nothing? You haven't made a mistake yet, I don't expect you to start now. Start talking or I'll just pull random wires."

"Twenty five minutes left."

"I know, I know, not helping." I snarl.

"Okay, okay, what colours are there?" Fritz asks.

"Black, red, green, and peach."

"Peach?"

"Skin coloured. What do I do?"

"Avoid the red and black. Go for the green. Switch it with the...erm, peach." I do so, expecting a jolt to hurt me any second.

"Okay, next?" I keep my voice level, though I'm starting to hyperventilate.

"Breathe. Grab the red and black wires and pull them out as fast as you can." I almost question him, but do as instructed. I grip and yank out the wires. Sparks spit at me indignantly, but I'm alright. A strangled groan of pent up nerve escapes my lips.

"Anything else?"

"No. It should be down." I give a string an experimental tug.

"I don't know how you do that every day. Good job." I walk over to him, swatting off the strands. I unclip and free his hands. We walk out and back to the cave. I carve the X and look around.

"Twenty minutes before your imminent doom." The voice says.

"Could you please just say the time and leave out the death threats?" I snap. The others join us. In all, we have Bark, Fritz, Wing, Jax, and Decker. "Where's Dinger and Tail?" I demand.

"Dinger went after Tail seven minutes ago." Bark replied.

"Which tunnel?" I ask. He points to the third from the left. "I'll check on them. Stay here." I jog at a careful pace down the pitch black shaft, bumping my already bruised arms into walls at most turns.

I stop at the entrance and look at the scene before me with sheer horror. Dinger's body is literally ripped apart, pieces strewn about. A very mangled half of his torso is lying near me, only one arm attached. The neck is gored and his helmet smashed in.

I nearly throw up at the sight. Whatever killed him is dead. I am going to kill it and the ones who threw us in this place. I spot the creature. A huge roggwart is stalking around a clearly electrified cage containing an unconscious Tail. The only reason the beast hasn't reached the main cave is because it is too big.

And I though rancors were scary. How do I get to my scout without any weapons to kill the thing with? I hate endangering my squad after already losing one of them, but I know there are some things I can't do alone. I race back to them, massaging an especially sore forearm that's hit one or eight too many stone walls.

"Tail's in an electrified cage, and a roggwart is guarding him. In short, we need a plan."

"Fifteen minutes." We're reminded.

"Fast." I add.

"Wait, where's Dinger?" Bark asks. Dinger was his close brother, so I'm going to hate doing this.

"I'm sorry, Bark. He's dead. The roggwart got him when he went after Tail."

"We'll have to save being upset for later. Tail won't last long." Fritz asserts.

"Dinger is dead." Bark spits. "We should be killing that fekking roggwart."

"Slow down and think, Bark. We don't have weapons. Rushing in is probably what got Dinger eaten in the first place." Wing interrupts.

"Unless you're thinking of a way to save Tail, you aren't talking. Fritz, you'll have to disable the electricity charging Tail's cage. Someone will have to carry him, and the rest of us will have to deal with beasty." A furious roar of utter frustration echoes from the tunnel, adding weight to my words.

"Anyone know anything about animals?" Fritz asks hopefully.

"Uh..." We all mutter.

"Only thing I know about roggwarts is that the one down that tunnel is as big as a young rancor." They all stare at me. I raise my hands in surrender. "Shutting up. You guys should probably take a look at the cave before we go any farther into planning." I show them and they gawk at the bloody mess. Bark clutches his stomach and recoils.

The roggwart stops and sniffs the air. It starts charging us. We turn and run, but strong, sharp claws wrap around my ankle and I'm dragged back. "Fritz, here's your distraction. Work fast!" I'm swung around and dangled over the thing's mouth. Its very large, very toothy mouth.

I'm dropped and make as though I'm diving into water, positioning myself to go in smoothly. I slip down the roggwart's throat and splash into its stomach. I gag at the smell and throw up when I see a gloved hand that must have been Dinger's floating around.

I start thrashing around, clawing at the insides of the stomach. I've done this with a vixus. I kick and scratch and make myself very unpleasant to have around.

I manage to get a hole open and reach through, doing as much damage to the lugs as I can. I feel the heart and attack that.

* * *

_A.N. ~ yes, I am actually leaving off at that. So sorry, _but,_ the next chapter _will_ be up within 48 hours. Please review, positively or critically. Bye!_


	50. Reunions Of All Kinds

_I'm Done With The Trouble _

_But The Trouble Wants More _

_~ Sucker Punch, Jonathan Coulton._

* * *

NO P.O.V.

Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan cut into the mountainside.

"I sense it, too." The older Jedi told Ahsoka. Pain was heavy in the air, and in the Force they could feel fear and hurt.

Captain Rex walked over as they Force-pulled a thick piece of stone out of the wall, throwing it over their shoulders to fall hundreds of feet.

"The men are getting restless, General. Are we cleared to proceed?" The Captain reported.

"Get the boys moving, Rex. We're going in." Commander Tano ordered.

§ § §

Pyro Squad was struggling to survive. Fritz was frantically rewiring a much more complicated panel than the one Twitch had hacked, Bark was grieving and enraged over his friend's death, and everyone was running circles around the convulsing animal that had swallowed their sergeant.

"I didn't see it bite her. Do you think Sarge is alive?" Decker asked Jax, forgetting himself.

"You're the medic! What do you think?" He called back. The roggwart howled in pain, clutching its chest. Its thrashing tail struck Wing.

"It's possible, assuming she hasn't suffocated. Judging by the internal pain that thing is in, she's alive and kicking." The medic shouted while checking the unconscious rookie. A rib was cracked, along with his shoulder.

"I—I can't get this current down!" Fritz yelled in a panic. The roggwart toppled over, giving one last wail before its eyes glazed over.

"Five minutes le-eft." The voice sang.

"Would you shut up?" Bark howled.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

_I can tell the roggwart is dead, but was that the five minute call? We must have missed the ten minute warning during the battle._

I spit out blood and struggle to claw my way out, but the animal's skin is thick. I'm running out of oxygen. I cough.

"Guys? Was that the five minute warning?" I shout.

"Sarge? Yeah, it was. Are you alright in there?" Someone replies.

"This. Thing. STINKS! And I'm running out of air, but other than that, I'm fine. How's the weather?" I ask in a cheerful, matter-of-fact way.

"Wing is down with a broken rib and arm and we're having trouble getting Tail out, but no one else died."

"Shut up!" I hear who must be Bark shout.

"Bark, do you have a sharp object on you by any chance? I think have about ten minutes until I pass out."

"Eight, actually, but there are only three minutes left." Decker for sure.

"Tell Fritz to move it for me. One sec. I'm going to try using a rib to get out." I hear the sound of lightsabers activating. The stomach of the roggwart is cut open.

I weakly crawl out, coughing and greedily breathing in the fresher air. Decker drags me the rest of the way and helps me up. The panel Fritz had been working on has a gash looking suspiciously like the work of a saber.

Then I notice the twenty-some blue and white armoured men and the two Jedi stand with their arms crossed.

I'm painfully aware of all the blood and goop sticking to me along with pieces of internal organs. I notice Tail being dragged out of the cage by Bark. Wing is lying on his back.

"General Skywalker." I greet, standing at attention.

"Relax. Looks like you have some explaining to do." He says. I catch sight of Rex and Tup and hide a grin, which breaks out anyway when I look at the dead roggwart.

"Sarge, Wing has a punctured lung. He needs patching up." Decker says. I look with renewed concern at the rookie.

"Well, well, well. New arrivals. How wonderful. This makes things so much more interesting!" The speaker crows over the hidden comm. I glare at the walls with aggravation.

"SHUT. UP." Bark and I say angrily. Insane laughter echoes through the room.

"Release the anoobas!" It screeches happily. I reach for my gun to find an empty holster. My bare arms remind me how defenceless I am. Howls echo down the tunnels. I look at my weakened squad.

"Rex, get men to help the wounded. We're heading back to the Resolute." Skywalker orders. One of the large animals enters the room, charging Wing. I tackle it on instinct, protecting my injured subordinate.

It snarls, trying to bite me. I'm flung off, landing beside Wing. Ahsoka kills it. Tup picks up the shiny. I nod my thanks and watch as Tail is picked up as well. The 501st troops flock around Pyro Squad, keeping us safely in the middle as we leave the caves behind.

§ § §

We'd found the armoury where our weapons were. I have my guns and gauntlets back, but losing Dinger impacted the entire squad.

Several dead anoobas and near-falls on a mountainside later, we were picked up and made it to the Resolute.

I stand in the medical bay, checking in on Tail and Wing. Tail had been severely electrocuted and Wing is in a bacta tank, healing as fast as possible, injuries considered.

"They're coming along quickly." I start and look at Kix.

"Good to hear. Thanks."

"So you were promoted?"

"To sergeant. How've things been?"

"A bit busy, Tup and Splinter've taken to each other." I smile, thinking of the two chatting with each other.

"That's good. Rex and Jesse?"

"They're fine, though it was kind of funny seeing the Captain talking to you without realizing no one was there." I chuckle.

"Are you serious?" I imagine Rex talking to thin air. It leaves a smirk on my face.

"Well, he only gets out a couple words. He's usually asking you to blow something up."

"Okay, now you're messing with me."

"Fine, I'm joking. But really, Pyro Squad?" He scoffs.

"Some other di'kut's idea. All I did was blow up a mine...and an outpost."

"It's a wonder why they did it. When's the last time you slept, or ate?"

"Umm..."

_Ate...ate, ate... I'm blank._

"Mess Hall, now." He orders.

"Okay. Thanks for patching them up."

"Anytime. Get going." I salute teasingly before heading to the Mess.

§ § §

I'm lucky enough to go in when Rex and Tup are eating. They silently invite me over and I join them. Tup is hiding a smirk as he eats.

"Good to see you too, Tup. Now, what's so funny?" I say. His smile is infectious and soon I'm wearing one.

"Oh, it was just funny to see you crawling out of a dead roggwart with that crazy grin on your face." He says. Judging from the higher-than-usual tone of his voice, he's trying not to laugh.

"Word of advice, never try it. Those things stink." Rex is smiling, too. I notice the quiet between us. Him posing as Dytin still hasn't smoothed over. We lapse into silence as we eat.

My good mood is dampened when I think of how I failed to protect my squad. Dinger was a shiny. He died too soon. Not many things faze clones, but how we die is a pressure point.

Dying in a firefight is one thing; that we can accept. But say we go out before our larty even hits the ground? Ugh. And being torn apart by a huge animal without a fighting chance is high up on the cringe-worthy-deaths list. "Ow!" I yelp. Tup swatted me on the back of my head.

"Didn't know you liked burnt food." He comments.

_Me and my hettyc scowl. __I really, really need to change my thinking face._

I turn my glare on him.

"Who knows? Might improve the flavour."

"What flavour?" Rex teases. I smile at him. I'm glad he's talking.

"Okay, you got me there." I admit.

"Um, so how's...uh..." Tup mumbles.

"Fives is doing alright." I say with a smirk. Everyone needs to play the big, tough soldier. Tup visibly relaxes now that he knows his friend is okay. I see Bark walk in with a scowl.

Beneath his dark expression is pain in his eyes. Losing a brother you're close to is hard. He must be shaken up about Dinger. He sits down alone. I keep an eye on his movements for a few more seconds worriedly before looking back to my meal. Images from the caves of Dinger's torn up body flash through my mind and I push away my food with a sigh.

"What's up?" Rex asks, immediately catching onto my unhappiness. I give him a reassuring, but sad, smile.

"Just worried about Bark. He and Dinger were close."

"Dinger was the one who...didn't make it?" Tup guesses.

"Yeah." He's eying my food. My stomach does another flip and I shove it to him. "Go ahead." I mutter. He somewhat reluctantly begins relocating my food onto his tray.

_Second mission and I get my squad caught and one of them killed. Some sergeant I am. _

Rex is not one to miss things like body language and tone. He looks concerned.

"Anything else?" He pries. I give him a withering glance.

"I'm going to have fun explaining this to Commander Wolffe." My lie almost instantly isn't a lie. This is going to be a mess I don't want to explain.

"What about General Koon?" Rex points out.

"For some reason, Wolffe scares me more." I say honestly.

"Just say you were ambushed by flying eopies." Tup suggests. The complete randomness of it makes me burst out laughing.

"Y—yeah, that'll work. Hahahe, I'd only be sent to an asylum for the rest of the war." I choke out between sniggers. How does he always know how to cheer me up?

§ § §

NO P.O.V.

Twitch was wearing her stern poker face as she and her squad boarded a transport. Bark was still burning with pent-up anger and grief. He needed to scrap some droids. A lot of them.

Wing was moving a little slowly, still sore from the roggwart attack. He had been horrified to see his squad mate ripped apart like that. All of them were. Tail was the only one who hadn't seen Dinger's remains, due to being unconscious throughout the whole fiasco.

Waking up to the news, however, didn't help. Especially when he heard his comrade had died trying to save him. Fritz was torturing himself with guilt for panicking and not being able to short out the panel.

Jax didn't have much to be sorry for except that he was the closest to Twitch when the roggwart had grabbed her and he couldn't catch her in time. Decker knew he'd done his best with Wing and Tail, though he felt like a huge di'kut for asking Jax wether his sergeant was alive when he was the one who should know.

In all, no one in Pyro Squad was pleased with themselves. Twitch was furious with herself for letting her squad get caught. She was beating up on herself for losing Dinger, not to mention how Tail had been electrocuted within an inch of his life, and Wing's injuries from fighting the roggwart.

Right then, she was feeling like a very incompetent leader. Now, as they all entered and settled in the ship, they could feel the growing gloom.

Skywalker had taken more men and searched the entire mountain and run several planetary scans in attempts to find the kidnappers, but found no one.

Now, as the transport left the Resolute and jumped to lightspeed, the squad of young clones reflected on the past few days.

§ § §

Back on the Resolute, Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano, accompanied by Captain Rex, went to the communications room and contacted the Triumphant. Plo Koon and Commander Wolffe turned and acknowledged the other Jedi and clone.

"Master Plo. Pyro Squad is en route back to the Triumphant as we speak. They should reach you in nine hours." Anakin said.

"Thank you for your assistance, Skywalker. I take it you already asked Twitch what happened?" The Kel Dorian asked.

"Yes." The young Knight answered, unsure where the conversation was going.

"Care to explain for her?" Anakin raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, sorry?"

"The instant she returns, we are going down to Braxis V. Twitch won't have time to explain until the battle's end, something that may not come in days."

Campaigning. Rex knew Twitch hated campaigning. She loved fighting, but days of hearing brothers going down and barely any sleep was not high up on her list of enjoyment.

She liked going in, having one good fight, maybe blow something up, and be done. Prolonged fighting where she could be ambushed repeatedly was not her style. And now, with a squad to take care of, she would be under a lot of stress.

"Very well." Skywalker conceded. He continued to explain in detail everything that Twitch had told him, throwing in his own recollection of events after finding the young sergeant and her squad.

"Beg your pardon, General, but did you say _inside_ the roggwart?" Wolffe asked once Anakin was done.

"Yes. It swallowed her whole and she killed it from the inside." He said. The Commander looked somewhat put off by this and remained quiet. Rex remembered Twitch admitting he scared her.

He knew something else had her upset. Since when did she _ever_ admit fear of _anyone_? His guess was losing one of her squad members damaged her self confidence as a leader. Did he ever know what that felt like...

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

We've eaten, we've slept, Wing and Tail went to the med bay for a final check up, we've made sure we have fresh power packs in our guns and our equipment is ready. The second we get back, we go down to a planet for a days-on-end campaign.

Maybe it's a good thing. Everyone needs to blow off some steam. Scrapping a few clankers always helps with frustration. Still, I always did hate campaigns, and it's going to be haran with a squad to keep an eye on.

Actually, I haven't slept. I'm too busy thinking to sleep. Decker is giving me a sour look that says he wants me to go to bed. I try, but fail, so I catch up on school. Darys almost instantly messages me.

'Another mission?'

'Sort of. It's been a long couple days. Not to mention the campaign we have in a few hours.'

'How long will that take?' I almost shrug, but catch myself and reply.

'Don't know. It could be days.' I catch Bark leaning over to see what I'm doing. I tilt the datapad so he can't see the screen and glare at him. He quickly retreats several seats away. I look back to see a message from Darys waiting.

'That long? What about the math test?' I barely keep my features blank.

'What!? When?'

'Two days.'

'There's no way short of a miracle the campaign will be over that quickly. Kriff!' I am so dead. I can't fail that test, but I'd rather shoot myself than miss the fighting because of school. I silently apologize to Obi-Wan.

'You could always ask for a rewrite, maybe during lunch break some day.' He suggests.

'Yeah, I hope that will work. Who knows how long I'll be down there.'

'Will you be okay?'

'It's war. Any of us could die any second. But, I'm sure I'll make it. I'm more concerned about my squad.'

'Why? They're trained soldiers.'

'They're shinies. The real battlefield is a lot different from training. And they're recovering from earlier.'

'What happened?'

'We lost Dinger. One of them is getting over nearly lethal electrocution and another has a healing lung and rib, plus his shoulder is stiff from being broken. Wow. Writing it down is really discouraging.' I send, surprised at the drop in my mood.

'They've got you. They'll make it.' He assures me.

'I don't know. They can't deflect bolts. Gah. Where's Fives when I need a smack in the head?'

'*smacks Twitch in head*. There you go.' Darys role plays. I really wish I could have actually felt his hand hitting me, but it cheers me up.

'Thank you. I need to remember they are capable of survival.' I pause to swat Bark's head as he tries to sneak a peak. He leaves. 'And trying to poke their noses into my business.'

'I'm not even going to ask.' I feel the ship docking.

'We've landed. Be back in a few days.' I shut off the pad. The copilot dashes in.

"Sir, we're being boarded! The comms are down." He reports. I stand up instantly.

"Separatists?"

"No. We aren't sure." I follow him to the cockpit and take a look.

"Ah, kriff. Grab your gun and get ready for a fight. We've got pirates." I order, hopping down and running back to the others. "Hope you guys are ready for a fight. Pirates will be in here in a minute." I say, double checking my guns' charge.

They get to work looking over their equipment and setting up cover. A small squadron of troops against an entire ship of bloodthirsty pirates. "Do not hesitate to kill. These besoms have it coming. Open fire on my command, and stay below that barrier. If we have to, this will be a surprise attack." I order.

I stand in front of the barrier as the docking door opens. Hondo himself strides in with his hands behind his back, preceded by two large henchmen. He looks at me with a pleasant smile.

"Ah, if it isn't my small friend." He greets. I cross my arms.

"Hondo. Long time no see. You do know there aren't credits on military transports, right?"

"Of course there are! Just in a way you don't understand. Weapons are quite valuable on the black market these days."

"So, you'd get two DC-17s out of raiding this ship. You're wasting your time. Droid parts would make you a lot more money." I bluff.r

"Ah, but I have some friends in the Zygerian Empire who would pay a handsome price for a slave girl." I laugh loudly.

"Zygerria? Do you know how quickly I escaped last time?"

"So, I get paid and you get free easily. Won't you accept that?" He says smoothly.

"No. It was still a pain in the shebs getting away. Look, Hondo. We could either fight over two pistols or we can go our separate ways.

"Pistols aren't the only things of value on this ship. Tell me, where are the six other men besides the pilots? Their equipment should be handy."

"No wonder you want the money. Your ship is glitching. It's just me and the pilots."

"Lying is unbecoming of you. I bet there are clones right behind that little barricade you have set up. Am I right?"

"As out of character it is, no, you aren't." I sigh. "Come on. I have a campaign to be at in a couple hours. I can't chat for long."

"Then let us be done quickly. Hand over your guns and your friends' equipment."

"There isn't anybody here! Go away, please." I'm finding it very hard to remain courteous at the moment.

"Mind if I search your ship?" He bargains.

"Sorry, but I really don't have time. Places to be, droids to kill. Nice visit. Have a nice day!" He walks up to me, flips out his gun, and presses it in between my eyes. I look up at it, unimpressed. I yawn, tired from so little sleep.

§ § §

NO P.O.V.

Pyro Squad's members' hearts were in their throats. The rookies knew if they showed themselves, there was a chance Twitch would be killed on the spot.

What baffled them was the fact that she seemed perfectly at ease with having the business end of a gun pressed against her forehead. They were chattering with each other through their helmet-to-helmet comms worriedly.

"Is she insane? She must be insane." Wing said.

"She's protecting us...again. What do we do?" Fritz replied.

"Stay still and keep quiet. She knows what she's doing." Tail ordered. They resumed listening to the conversation.

"I will be looking over your ship now." Hondo decreed. The clones could only see what was going on through the reflections in the metal.

They watched as Twitch slowly raised a finger as if to makes point. In a sudden blur of movement, she swatted away the gun and kicked the pirate in his head.

"Open fire!" She shouted. They gladly obeyed the command and shot at the intruders. Twitch jumped behind the barrier and settled, drawing her guns. Hondo retreated into the docking shaft. His body guards weren't so lucky and went down under fire.

§ § §

Twitch was unconscious and bound, blood dripping from a wound on her head. Everyone else was simply tied up on their knees, including the pilots. Ohnaka had decided the young girl was too dangerous to keep awake, which both insulted the other clones, since they were born and raised as killers, and increased their respect for their sergeant.

"She _is_ a slippery one, I'll tell you. Far too clever to be around the likes of you." Hondo said with disdain.

"Why don't you try me in a fight without your lackeys?" Bark snapped. His sharp tongue was what had earned him his name, and his bite was just as bad.

The head pirate signalled, and the fiery trooper was hit. He shook it off, though an ache now bloomed behind his eyes.

"Silence. Much better. Now, I was going to just take your goods and go, but resistance is one of my pet peeves." The clones were dragged to their feet, Twitch slung over one Weequay's shoulder.

Just as they started heading toward the other ship, Twitch cut her bindings and killed the pirate holding her. She flipped and spun around the room in a blur of deadly accuracy as she tore through the pirates' ranks.

One pirate got in a lucky hit, but she was on a full-out killing spree and took the blow in stride. In just over one minute flat (Tail was watching the chrono in his HUD), the only pirate alive was Hondo.

She turned her stormy eyes on him, fury evident in her body language. She glared daggers at him and advanced. He backed up, stumbling over a head not attached to a body. She continued toward him.

"I've put up with two of you're whining fits. My turn. You catch me, steal one of my guns, track and capture me and the other people I was with, tortured my friend, then you come and board out transport. Threaten me, tried to mug us, hit one of my men and tried taking us to your ship, most likely for torture. Do you see why I'm upset?" Upset was definitely an understatement. The terrified thief fell backward after tripping over a body.

"Now, now, my dear. That was just business. A man needs to eat, after all." He stuttered.

"Now, now, Hondo. This is just self defence. A girl's gotta protect herself, after all." Pyro Squad watched as she gripped Ohnaka's collar and shoved her face an inch from his. "But I've already got enough mess in here, and someone has to clean it up." She cut the gun he began drawing in half and yanked him to his feet. Her expression said _I'm going to kill you,_ but her mouth had said differently.

"Why don't you start with getting all the pieces back on your ship. Throwing them on will do. Can't have you running off." He tried staring her down, but his gaze withered under Twitch's own glare.

He obediently started tossing the remains of his crew onto his ship, not getting too close to the exit in case the young girl shot him in his back. While he was busy, she cut her squad loose and they picked up their guns.

The pilots went back to the cockpit. The second the last chunk of pirate was transported, Hondo was handed a mop and bucket of water. He sighed, but began washing away the blood soaking the floor. As soon as he was done, Twitch grabbed the back of his neck. She used his comm.

"This is the bridge. Sir, did you get the goods?" The sergeant tightened her grip on Ohnaka's neck.

"Uh, no, no, there isn't anything worthwhile here. We're leaving." The channel went dead and Twitch wrenched him around to face her.

"Try anything with your weapons system and remember that I have survived worse, and I will make sleeping a challenge for you." She suddenly cracked his head against her knee, knocking him out, before tossing him into the pile of body parts just before the door closed and the other ship detached from the transport. The soldier's ship's power restarted.

"We are good to go. Ready to leave at your command, Sergeant." The pilot announced over the comm.

"Good to hear. Let's see if we can still make that campaign."

* * *

_A.N. ~ okay, there's Chapter Fifty. This is the 3rd last chapter of this FanFiction, but don't worry. That bridge will be made at Chapter Fifty Two. Please review, positively or critically. The next chapter will be up within 48 hours, though probably sooner rather than later._

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS:**

**Hettyc: [heh-TEESH] burning**


	51. Clockwork

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

That was a nice fight. Now, if only my squad would stop gawking at me.

"I'm not spoon feeding you." I tease. They close their open mouths.

"Sorry, Sarge. Just, never seen you fight like _that_ before." Bark says.

"Eh, we aren't on a mission. During free time, call me Twitch." I say. They all look put off by this.

_Ah, shinies. They'll loosen up soon enough. I hope._

"Sixty one seconds." Tail murmurs. I look at him, puzzled.

"Huh?"

"You killed them in sixty one seconds. I timed you." He admits. I scowl with displeasure.

"_One_. Sixty _one_. I'm getting slow." I grab a cloth and start wiping the blood off my arm-blades.

"Uh, actually, I think you broke a record." Decker says while checking the bruise forming on my cheek. I forgot that was there. I shake him off.

"No, actually I've killed a lot more at once than that. Or are we not counting explosives?"

"I mean without a blaster. Or bombs."

"My record was forty five seconds." I mumble, blushing at the attention. I recover my composure and make my face stern. "Okay, why don't you stop staring and find something else to do?" They keep watching me and I get cross. "Three seconds until that becomes an order." They instantly start moving, either cleaning equipment or sleeping, some leaving to get food.

I force down a smile at their obedience. I don't want to become a power-abusing leader, but I will allow myself to enjoy the feeling for a minute before stomping it out. That minute passes quickly, but I still kill the emotions trying to control me.

_ Fierfek, how do Rex or Wolffe keep straight heads all the time? _

I notice Bark has been fairly quiet. He won't talk, even when Wing tries to start up friendly conversation. He doesn't even get upset when Jax trips on his foot on the way to the refresher. At some point, everyone is either asleep or not in the room, except the still-vigilant hothead.

"Bark, a word?" I ask while standing. I lead him down to the small cargo bay. "We're going to be going straight into a campaign. I need everyone at the top of their game. What's bothering you?" Losing a friend has its effects, but Bark seems a lot worse off than normal.

"Nothing." He mutters. Clearly, he won't make this easy.

"There's grieving, and then there's guilt. Trust me, I'm no stranger to either. What's wrong?" He throws his helmet off, tossing it across the room. His anger is short lived, however, and he calms down.

"It's my fault. We were arguing over which tunnels to go down. I should've taken the left one." I almost can't understand his reasoning. "If I'd gone, he'd still be alive."

"If you'd gone, he'd be the one feeling what you are now and thinking how you think. You didn't know that roggwart was down the tunnel, he didn't, none of us did. If anything, it's my fault for getting you guys caught." He sits down with his back to the wall, then looks up at me with complete confusion and loss.

"Then why do I blame myself?" The challenge catches me off guard. What do I say to someone I barely know?

It hits me that he needs a friend, not a leader. I sit down beside him. I don't know the answer to that. I felt the same things many times and still don't know why.

"To be honest? I have no idea why guilt works the way it does."

"You said you weren't a stranger to it?" He rasps.

"Before I became part of the GAR, I was on Tatooine. Jabba had captured a clone named Splinter and I tried saving him. The end result was Splinter being dumped in a rancor pit and me having to leave the palace. Splinter somehow survived, but I still blame myself for him going through that." We sit quietly.

"Our lives suck." He finally says. I snort.

"That they do. We just need to find things to make us happy to thwart the universe."

"And if that doesn't work?" I punch his arm before standing and giving him a hand up.

"Then we spite reality by holding out until we do find something to be happy about."

§ § §

We land in the Triumphant's hanger, on time due to some, ah...creative flying. I thank the pilots before stepping out.

"That was...interesting." Tail comments as we head straight for the larties.

"I really should've broken Hondo's neck." I grumble.

"You killed enough...uh, ma'am." He says, stumbling over himself to remain respectful. I chuckle.

"Tail, you're allowed to say your opinion."

"There's my little burc'ya. What took you?" I grin and look at Fives mischievously.

"Oh, nothing. We ran into your favourite pirate on our way back."

"Tell me you broke his neck." I nudge Tail's ribs in an _I told you so_ way.

"No, but a good number of his crew could say differently." He breaks into a coughing fit. In between hacks, I catch the words _swallowed whole_. I narrow my eyes. "Oh, shut up." I punch his shoulder. He laughs and I can't help but join in. Tail is standing to the side, bemused by his my rapidly shifting moods.

"So," Fives says, "ready to storm the planet?"

§ § §

"I thought _we_ were doing the storming!" I shout over the thunder. Fives is beside me. Everyone is spread out, using any cover available. I duck a couple shots aimed at my head before returning fire. The rain blurring my vision throws off my aim and I miss.

"We were, until the shabla weather decided it didn't like us!" The ARC replies. I look around for my squad desperately.

"Kriff. I can't see my squad." I yell over another bone-shaking rumble.

"I can't see mine, either." He calls. I duck and click my comm onto the squad-wide channel.

"Everyone alive? And if so, where are you?" I snap.

"Pinned, Sarge. Couple of rollies won't let us move." I think Tail is the one to reply.

"Coordinates?" The battlefield is very large.

"Twenty three A by forty one K." I look around and reorient myself.

"K'oyacyi." I order, hoping they'll hold out. My comm goes off and I glance at Fives. "I've got to go shoot a couple of tinnies. Have fun here!" I run out of cover, maneuvering my way to the very edges of the battlefield.

I see a pair of Droidekas shooting at a rock outcropping. I grab a thermal detonator and chuck it once I'm close enough. It explodes and send the droids sprawling.

Pyro Squad immediately pops up and shoots them. I jog over and am relieved to see no one is dead. I look over the battlefield.

"Just think. We have days of this left." Wing jokes. I smile, but a moment later, a commando droid tackles me. I let out an indignant wail and slice its arms, then head.

"Di'kutla beskar'ad." I spit as I stand up from the cold mud. I shiver, but warm up as I backflip out of a bunch of laser bolt's way.

"Hi there, sweetheart."

"Don't call me that!" I screech, turning on Bane. I can tell a few of my squad members are snickering. The bounty hunter starts off with his usual barrage of strings. I cut and dodge them while avoiding droids.

"You couldn't have waited until after the fighting?" I snap.

"You wouldn't be as much of a challenge then."

"How did you even know I was here?" I demand.

"Sarge?" Tail asks uncertainly, trying to decide wether to help me or shoot the droids.

"Concentration the tinnies." I order. "And wipe that grin off your face, Bark." He freezes, probably surprised that I knew, but resumes shooting a second later.

"Sarge? Don't tell me the Republic has children commanding its troops." Bane groans.

"Not that you actually care, but yes, I'm a sergeant. And no, I'm the only kid soldier on the battlefield." He tries punching me, but that is not a good call and he is kicked in the head.

We continue fighting, throwing grenades back and forth, along with taunts, insults, and laser bolts. I handspring backwards and shoot at him. He dodges and returns fire.

"You aren't still holding a grudge from three years ago?" He sighs.

"Maybe I'm still upset about it." I growl, trying to cut him apart before retreating from a detonator.

"Three years ago!" He reminds me.

"Two years of torture. And _you_ put me there. Get why I still want your head separated from your body?"

"Sorry you didn't escape faster. Happy?" I chuck a detonator at his head.

"No." We rage back and forth, one fighting to detain, the other trying to kill. One guess who was doing what.

§ § §

NO P.O.V.

"Did she say torture?"

"For two years?" Wing and Bark asked.

"That's what I heard. What happened three years ago?" Fritz speculated.

"Know what could happen in three seconds if you don't get down?" All six men ducked under cover, saved from the volley of bolts by Tail's warning. Jax was sniping droids in silence, concentrated solely on his job.

"And the way she yelled at the pirate. Anyone know anything about her past?" Wing continued.

"She hates pirates?" Bark guessed.

"And was a prisoner for two years. Can we save the questions for after the fighting, before _we_ become part of the past?" Jax finally spoke. They grudgingly piped down and continued firing.

It was basically a clone/droid free-for-all. Twitch, meanwhile, was flipping and shooting at Bane. The bounty hunter had to admit she was a formidable fighter, not to mention sharp-witted and tongued.

"You've improved since Ryloth." He admitted.

"I was injured on Ryloth."

"What was your excuse for Naboo?"

"Had another person to take care of."

"And Hoth? What about then?"

"Then, I had only three months to learn how to fight without a teacher and I. Was. TEN." She snarled, cutting a string before it could shock her. This got her squad's speculations up all over again, much to Tail and Jax's displeasure. Decker didn't comment.

"So, he caught her when she was ten after she left...somewhere, took her to the people who held and tortured her for two years, and she escaped a year ago." Fritz guessed.

"Why a year?" Bark hadn't pieced it together.

"She said she was ten, and held for two years. That puts her at twelve years old. She's thirteen now." The mechanic explained.

"That makes sense. Grenade!" Bark yelped. They scattered. All but the hotheaded clone found cover in time. The blast knocked him into the open, dazing him. Twitch saw her squad member's vulnerability and already knew he was instantly a target without cover.

She abandoned her fight and helped him up, shoving him out of the laser bolts' way. She covered him until he was safe. Bane analyzed her behaviour and went after Decker, the closest of the squad's members.

He couldn't escape the electric wires and became entangled, crying out in pain as the jolts racked his body. It wasn't strong enough to knock him out, just powerful to the point of torture. Twitch rose to the bait and ran for the rookie, dodging shots and darts. She cut Decker free.

"I'm the one you're after. Don't take your temper out on a bunch of shinies. Especially _my_ bunch of shinies." The medic couldn't get up. He was hurt too much. Bark was inclined to protest to Twitch's claim, but kept his mouth shut. _Her_ shinies, his shebs!

"Touching, but foolish." Twitch looked down and immediately shoved Decker away. A net sprang up around her. She cursed Bane in at least five different languages as she started cutting free.

The Duro dropped a grenade and watched the explosion toss her body into the open, making her an easy target for the droids. Bark dashed out and dragged her beside him, using his vibroblades to cut her free. He pulled his semi-conscious commander out of the torn up netting. She groaned.

"Bark, I highly suggest you call the General." She mumbled, slowly getting to her knees. Bane was currently occupied as Fritz, Wing, and Jax shot and ran around him, darting in with their vibroblades now and then in attempts to gut him.

"General, this is Pyro Squad." Bark said, watching with concern as Twitch staggered to her feet and charged Cad, drawing her guns.

"I read you. What's causing all those explosions?" The calm Jedi asked.

"Sergeant Twitch and Cad Bane. The two have been at each other's throats for ten minutes."

"I'll be there soon." Bark pulled Decker farther into cover. His brother mumbled and tried sitting up, aided by the fiery soldier.

"What happened?" He snapped back to awareness.

"You got shocked. Sarge saved your shebs. Stay here." Bark elucidated quickly before dashing out to add onto the assault on the bounty hunter. Cad Bane knew he had a tiger by the tail.

He had five angry clones shooting and slashing at him, plus Twitch who, despite her previous beating, was fighting him as though she was fully healthy. He chastised himself for forgetting how loyal clones were to their own.

He had his hands full, trying to hold off all the attacks. To add to his list of worries, a Jedi appeared, wielding his blue lightsaber threateningly.

"I will deal with Bane. Continue to fight the Separatists." Plo Koon ordered. The rain poured down, accompanied by flashes of lightning and peals of thunder. Pyro Squad regrouped, resting as they shot at the machines.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

My body aches as I sprint to the meeting through the rain. I'm drawing a lot of fire. I see other sergeants, lieutenants, Commander Wolffe, and General Koon all waiting behind a particularly large rock formation.

I dive-roll into cover and out of the droids' sight. I'm panting from the half-klick mad dash spent under almost constant fire. The last of the superiors make it and we begin.

"Our men can't hold out much longer like this. In small groups, we will gradually move out until we surround the droids, and finish them off. The first group will take them from behind. While they distract the droids, another group will move out and attack from one o'clock. The third will hit from two o'clock, and so on." Koon says. Smart plan. I like it. The groups are assigned according to squads' current positions. Pyro Squad has eleven o'clock.

"Get to your squads, brief them, and comm in. We begin our attack as soon as everyone is ready." Wolffe orders.

"Sir, yes, sir!" We say before scattering. I constantly look over my shoulder in case someone tries shooting me in the back.

§ § §

NO P.O.V.

Koon and three squadrons slowly worked their way behind the droids, one by one, until they were imposition. They opened fire. Pyro Squad and a second squad started slipping to the left, two more squads going right.

Pairs of squadrons continued to move out slowly, covering all points on the clock. At four to seven o'clock, the droids took notice. All the remaining troops sprinted into position before any droids could escape.

The clones slowly moved in as more droids fell, going for the kill. A group of commando droids were all that remained soon, and they attacked the weak links in the ring of soldiers.

Those were the one, six, and eleven o'clock squadrons, seeing how they had taken the most fire, and therefore lost the most troops. Due to active protection on Twitch's part, Pyro Squad was intact.

As a pair of commandos charged, she unsheathed her arm-blades and took the front. The other sergeant moved to stop her, but Tail grabbed his wrist.

"Wait, sir. She can handle them." He said. True to his words, Twitch took on both droids and fought them in her trademark acrobatic combat style.

She belegged one and kicked it away, where the waiting clones shot it. She killed the last one quickly. The last seven droids were killed. Twitch smiled tiredly.

"One battalion down, eight more to go."

§ § §

The Clockwork Method, as the clones came to call Plo Koon's strategy, was very effective against most of the droid battalions. Over the course of five days, they had finished off three more battalions.

With five more groups of droids to destroy, many injured, and everyone exhausted from little sleep and food, tensions were high.

Twitch and another sergeant had to break up a shouting match between Bark and the other sergeant's own hothead. No one was sure how or what started it, no one cared.

Decker had ordered Twitch to rest after her ninth scouting mission. Her little ventures always ended in a fight. She claimed it was just chance she kept running into droids, but it was clear she was actively hunting the Separatist patrols.

Half an hour after Decker had sent his sergeant off to rest, Fives came looking for her, hoping to share a meal and friendly banter to ease the stress of the campaign. Rex wasn't the only one who knew about the young girl's dislike for drawn out battles.

"Sorry. I told her to sleep." Decker explained.

"How long has she been up?" The ARC asked worriedly.

"I don't know. It's hard to tell when she's really awake or not at night." The medic replied unhappily.

"That it is. I'm impressed you got her to sleep at all. Kix used to threaten sedation to keep her down." The rookie was pleased at the praise.

"I...might have said something about injections." He admitted.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I wake up ravenous. Decker had made me take a nap, saying I either do it willingly or with a needle in my arm. I stretch before grabbing a ration bar.

I nibble on it, trying to trick my stomach into thinking I'm giving it more food than I actually have. Fives appears and eats beside me.

"Remember that island where we were eating until we were full with plenty left over?" I joke.

"The one with the huge snakes and apes? Yeah, I remember." He rains on the parade.

"And there goes that lovely image." I grumble.

"I'm talented that way."

"Oh, I forgot during all the fighting. Tup says hi." I lean away and give Fives a hard punch in his arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" He rubs the spot, glaring at me.

"He also requested that I punch you for getting transferred."

"You do realize you have a very hard punch, right?"

"Yes, yes I do. Something I am very pleased with myself for." He punches my arm and I yelp in pain and protest. "Ever heard the phrase 'don't shoot the messenger'?" I mutter.

"Yes, yes I have. But things change when the messenger hits you."

"At least I didn't hit your face like _somebody_ told me to."

"He told you to hit my face?"

"Your nose, preferably. No, of course he didn't." I stop my sarcasm before it actually upsets him.

"I knew you were lying."

"Don't know all the time." He pauses, trying to think of times when I might have lied to him and he never realized it.

"Incoming!" Someone shouts just before a loud explosion goes off. I pop the last of my ration bar into my mouth and stand up.

"How did they sneak up on us?" I growl after swallowing.

"I don't know. Go find your squad."

"Go find yours." I reply, already running to the six men under me. "Snack time's over, boys. Looks like we're scrapping two battalions today." I say lightheartedly while they grab their guns. We take cover and start shooting the oncoming wave of B1s.

Decker rears up to shoot and a bolt hits his shoulder. He falls back with a howl of agony. I check his pulse before removing his helmet. He's unconscious. I apply pressure to the wound while calling, "medic!" Strings dashes over from nearby and starts working while we shoot. I glance at the rookie every now and then.

"Sergeants and all troops ranking higher, meet at 34 C by 29 K." Plo orders. I look at Tail and he nods. I leave, marvelling to myself at how I've already started trusting the scout to take care of everyone when I'm not present.

I duck a particularly nasty round of bolts. I see another sergeant go down, clutching his leg. I swerve out of my way and grab his shoulders, lugging him toward cover. I leap in front of his body and block a myriad of laser bolts. Someone darts out and helps us the rest of the way. The trooper calls for a medic.

"Grid, go to the meeting for me. I'm not going to be running any time soon." The sergeant orders while the medic begins working on his leg.

"Yes, sir." I start running beside Grid. I keep between him and the line of fire, saving us the extra time of ducking by simply blocking everything. We kneel behind a rock pile protecting the now smaller pool of senior officers.

"Grid, where's Ace?" One sergeant demands.

"Leg wound. Sent me in his place." I nod in confirmation.

"The droids are too spread out for the Clockwork Method. We will need a distraction so we can move half our forces to attack from the side." I barely stop myself from standing, biting my tongue so I don't interrupt.

The slight movement is not lost on the Jedi, and my eyes are probably begging. I doubt he can't sense my willingness. A soft, short chuckle emanates from the Kel Dorian's mask. "Yes, Twitch, you are in charge of that. Do you need any men?" I think through what I might try and shake my head.

"No, sir. Just a pack of detonators."

* * *

_A.N. ~ I guess that means Twitch has embraced Pyro Squad's name._

_Twitch: hey, wait, no—_

_Me: it's useless to deny it. Just accept the horrible fate of having a cool name for your squad. Readers, please review, positive or critically. The next, and final, chapter will be posted ASAP._

**MANDO'A DEFINITIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS: **

**Burc'ya: [BOOR-sha] friend**

**Shabla: [SHAH-bla] screwed up (impolite)**


	52. Disappointment

A.N. ~ this is the final chapter. I hope you have all enjoyed Sea of Faces. The months it took to get this far went by quickly, because I enjoyed writing for others (and writing, period ;). I'm sorry that this isn't one of the longer chapters, but please enjoy it!

* * *

NO P.O.V.

"Nyaaaaaaaa!" Droids went flying as yet another of Twitch's detonators unleash havoc. She was very glad no one else was out there with her.

The drying mud in the sun was slippery, making it that much worse for the machines as she dove and rolled around to avoid weapons fire.

She was working from the right to the back of the droids' ranks, getting on their nerves by blowing groups of them up and trying to get behind them.

Fives was chuckling to himself as he watched the fiery explosions light up the stone-dotted plain. He could see Twitch weaving around, tossing thermal detonators in ways that seem random, but were clearly planned, judging by the damage dealt when the explosives went off.

"She's one haran of a verd. Pyromaniac." Strings muttered.

"That she is. You should try sparring with her." The ARC replied.

"Now _that's_ an embarrassing way to go. Killed by someone half my age and size." The medic laughed at a particularity loud and pathetic wail from a droid as it was thrown into the air.

"This is Twitch we're talking about. There is nothing embarrassing about losing a fight to her."

"Speak from experienced?"

"Mine and several other brothers'."

"All troops, move in." Their General ordered.

§ § §

TWITCH'S P.O.V.

I'm still running around throwing bombs while dodging fire as everyone else shoots the droids. My reaction time is slowing down due to fatigue. As soon as I think there are few enough clankers left, I stop blowing things up and start fighting the droids up close.

The only ones left are B1s and a pair of commando droids, so I just end the fight quickly, though I'm really tired. As soon as the last droid goes down, I sit down and lean back on my hands, hanging my head back as I take in deep, greedy breaths.

Someone walks over and sits next to me. I look at Fives with a smile, though my mouth is still open as I gulp in air. Pyro Squad sits down with us among the wreckage.

"Soon as we catch our breath, wanna do that again?" I grunt. Fives chuckles, then the others start. I join in and soon we're laughing like maniacs, finding humour in the insanity that is our lives.

§ § §

We finished off the last five battalions over the course of a week. One week of a couple ration bars a day (on a good day), gruelling battles, and plenty of good humour between my squad, Fives, and I.

Now that our twelve-day-campaign is over, we just have to wait for the last planetary scan to be done, and then head back up to the Triumphant, whose fighter pilots have been in space combat for a while now.

Or were, until they eradicated the Separatist fleet that was sent to end us. I'm perched on a jutting rock formation that reminds me of coral, just relaxing as a brilliant blue sky pours down warm sunlight.

As far as the eye can see, there is nothing but muddy ground and grey rocks sticking up.

_Why were so many Separatist droids here in the first place?_

I grumble under my breath, muttering about how droids always waste our time.

"Our pick up will be here in half an hour. Be ready to leave by then." Wolffe says over the comm. I start at his sudden interruption of my thoughts.

"You're jumpy. Please tell me that's just you calming down from the fighting." Fives clambers up beside me.

"I think so. Of course, even _I_ don't know all the reasons for why I'm twitchy."

"Hardcase would be so jealous." I cock an eyebrow.

"What does that mean?"

"You're more hyperactive than he is." I display mock indignation.

"I am _reasonably_ cautious."

"Paranoid."

"And guess what? I'm still alive."

"Two years." He reminds me. I narrow my eyes.

"We do not speak of years eleven through twelve. They never happened. And we definitely don't bring up arachnids." He chuckles and I shove him.

"Okay, I know it's justified, but still, _spiders_?"

"Yes! Small red ones that induce hallucinations made up from your deepest fears. Are we happy yet?"

"Heh, yeah, just...Arachnophobe."

"Claustrophobic!" I shoot back.

"Short." My mouth gapes in fury at one of the most painful insults he could throw at me.

"I'm taller than most women!"

"And still five inches shorter than me."

"You just give it a few years!"

"Assuming you don't blow up before then?"

"Assuming you don't get killed by pirates before then."

"Two. Years."

"Didn't. Get. Rescued. I recall, I saved myself, whereas you, ner vod, had to have Rex drag your shebs out of there."

"I was tortured."

"And you think I wasn't? I had arachni-therapy every other day!"

"Shocked within an inch of my life."

"Same. Ever tried it with Force-Lightning?"

"Ever raided the Citadel?"

"Ever had experiments and painful tests conducted on you for years?"

"Ever lost a close brother?"

"Rex, for a while, and I lost Dinger, who was my responsibility, so yeah, I've lost brothers! Ever had to severely verbally thrash your ori'vod and commanding officer so they would focus and not die?"

"No, but have you had to watch your little sister screaming on a bed, crying from hallucinations after being bit by a poisonous spider?"

"No! And one moment." I pull out an active comm from the side facing my body of my left holster, planted, no doubt, by my squad. "You boys better get your shebs moving before I reach the ground, because I am in a bad mood and just found out you're eavesdropping. Start running." I see six troops dashing across the camp. I crush the machine in frustration. "If you'll excuse me, I have some heads to knock together. Thank you for the pity party."

I hop down and stalk towards my squad, all of whom are trying to blend in to a group of other troops. I stand over them, arms crossed. "You six, follow me, _now_." I order, walking away without looking back, trusting my tone to ensure their obedience.

I lead them to a place out of earshot of the camp and glare daggers at them. I give Tail an especially disappointed look, holding up the broken com link. "So, either one or a few of you planted this on me and dragged everyone else into this, or all of you were involved. One of you tell me which it is." They shift uncomfortably under my intense gaze, no one piping up.

"Wait, you mentioned two years and torture, not to mention Fives calling you his little sister. _You're_ the one who should be explaining." Bark says boldly, stepping forward and pointing an accusing finger at me.

I look at his arm cooly before grabbing his wrist and wrenching his arm behind his back with lightning speed, pinning him against a nearby rock that towers over us.

"You best drop that attitude, shiny. And you don't need to know about my past." I sweep my eyes over the rest of my squad. "None of you do. As for Fives calling me his sister, I chose my family. Now, whose idea was it to eavesdrop?" Bark sighs, Wing sags in defeat.

"I was joking that it would be interesting to know what you were talking about with Fives. And what a strategy meeting sounded like, if we got lucky." The care free rookie admits.

"And I'm the one who decided to try eavesdropping." Bark says. I let him go and he massages his arm, head bent in shame.

"The rest of us knew, but agreed to not say anything." Tail added, looking guilty. I scowl, trying to decide what to do with my six charges. I change my expression into disappointment.

"This I would expect from them," I tilt my head at Bark, Wing, and Fritz, "but you three, I thought knew better." I look at Tail, Jax and Decker. "I'm disappointed with all of you. This is behaviour cadets would be playing at, not men who've finished training. How can I trust you on the battlefield when you act like children?" I try to ignore the irony. They stare at the ground, shamefaced.

"You can't." Tail quietly murmured, looking guiltier than anyone else.

"Well, I hope I can trust you lot to complete a full week's worth of mech scrubbing once we return to the Triumphant." I get a round of halfhearted _yes, ma'am's_ before they walk away, knowing that they are dismissed.

For a moment, I wonder if I was too hard on them, but set my jaw and shake my head. No, they were out of line, and Bark needed some respect beaten into him. I check myself over for more com links, but find none.

§ § §

The entire squad has responsibly kept up with their astromech cleaning duties for three days. The Triumphant isn't flying itself or the troops on it into battle for another five days. I've been catching up with school and writing the math test I missed. Darys is talking to me as ELA plays out.

'How was the campaign?' He sends.

'Didn't lose any of my squad members.'

'Did it really last for thirteen days?'

'Twelve, actually. I was busy with after-battle discussions and stopping by the med bay for the _need-to-check-you-over-in-case-you're-dying_ thing.'

'Okay...so how _is_ your squad?'

'Scrubbing mechs for another four days. I caught them eavesdropping on me and Fives.'

'Fives and I.'

'Sorry?'

'So long as we are in ELA, you use proper grammar. It's _Fives_ and _I_.'

'Ha, ha. Fine. Fives and I. I'm surrounded by shinies.'

'I know. *troll face meme*' I glare at the screen in aggravation.

'Have a younger sibling?'

'No. Is that what taking care of rookies is like?'

'Yes. Except these guys are considerably smarter than children...sometimes.'

'This coming from a child?'

'Yes. I am very much aware of the irony.'

'And I will continue to mock it.'

'Could you not? Fives has been enough of a di'kut lately.'

'What did he do?' The reply comes almost instantaneously after I send.

'Oh, he's just pushing my buttons. If I really want him to shut up, I can.'

'I get the feeling it's not a nice way.'

'It isn't, but he knows better than to push me too much.'

"Hi, Twitch."

'Speak of the devil.' I glance up at him.

"Hi, Fives. What's up?"

"You forgot lunch. Again." He teases. I check the time.

'Gotta go eat something. Be back sometime later.'

'You really don't are about school.'

'Nope. Bye.' I turn off and put away the datapad without waiting for a reply and hop down beside the ARC. We start walking to the Mess.

"I don't know how you keep track of six shinies when you can't even remember lunch." He jests. I hold up an active comm with a smirk. Voices filter through. He laughs.

"Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you." I chuckle. I cock my head when I hear another conversation starting.

"Tail, will you stop moping already? Twitch was mad, she yelled at us."

"We eavesdropped on her private conversation and you accused her of lying. Of course she was mad." Someone else points out.

"You yelled at them?" Fives asks.

"Do you know any other female sergeants who were eavesdropped on?"

"Good point."

"She's right. We were acting like cadets." I start paying more attention.

"It was supposed to be a harmless prank. How were we supposed to know she'd get into things like torture and two years of imprisonment?"

"We weren't. Just be quiet and scrub your mech."

"Who made you corporal?"

"No one. I just figure we'll finish quicker if we aren't talking." I turn down the volume as we enter the Mess Hall. I'm busy muttering to myself, using different bits of languages to fill in for Basic every now and then.

"Something's got your wheels turning. What is it?" Fives says.

"Still wondering why there were so many droids on Braxis. What was so special about a mud-and-stone planet?"

"Good point. And for once, it isn't paranoia." We sit down and I start checking his head. He jerks away. "What?"

"Do you have amnesia, or did you simply forget that every time I predict something bad will happen, you credit it to paranoia and someone gets hurt?" He sighs.

"Technically, the pirates didn't know we were coming."

"Okay, then I'll just remind you of the Trandoshan, Plytunon, and the caves on Krovell."

"Remind me why we're arguing? Look, the point is, you're right about Braxis. Those droids were there for a reason."

"Cortosis? We know they've been looking for it."

"None showed up on the scanners. Diversion?"

"There are plenty other free battalions. Distracting us wouldn't do them any good. Other rare materials?"

"Nothing important showed up on the scans, period."

"Okay, I don't know what Grievous is up to. Definitely not something to make our day improve."

"No doubt." I sit there, puttering through my food at a slow pace.

_What's Grievous up to?_

* * *

_A.N. ~ don't worry. There's a sequel. I hope you liked this fic. The sequel's name is 'The Lies Continue', and it will be up within 48 hours. Well...this is a bittersweet moment..._

_I honestly don't have anything to say, except a request that anyone still reading this will review. Write whatever you like, because wether you offer encouragement, criticism, rejection, denial, praise, or anything else you wish to call it, I will read it, I will be grateful, and I will keep your words in mind as I work on my writing. _

_Until the next story..._

_~ Aranar'ven Angel_


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